JHR DEVELOPMENTS ADDS WELSH RISING STAR MATTHEW REES TO 2021 DRIVER LINE-UP

JHR Developments has announced highly-rated Welsh karting graduate Matthew Rees as the next member of its 2021 F4 British Championship certified by FIA – powered by Ford EcoBoost line up.

The 15-year-old from Cardiff enjoyed a successful stint in IAME Cadets from 2013 to ’17, graduating to OK Junior before family illness put his career on pause in 2019.

Rees – running in Britain’s FIA Formula 4 series this season with the backing of Ecom GT, GJR Holdings and Cool Performance – picked things back up in the middle of last year, utilising JHR’s state-of-the-art, bespoke simulator to better acquaint himself with the Mygale F4, before hitting the track for real.

Since then, Rees has familiarised himself with a number of the UK’s uniquely challenging circuits alongside his fitness programme and education as he prepares to take his first steps on the FIA Single Seater pyramid.

“I am really looking forward to getting out on track with JHR Developments this season,” said Rees.

“It is very different from karting with the tyres and aero, but I think it has been going well and it is a style of driving that I am getting used to. I have also been using the JHR sim as it is useful to help improve and learn the tracks we are heading to.

“Thruxton, where we start the season, is an easy circuit to learn but hard to master so I am really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do.

“JHR has some great results there recently with lots of wins so I hope that can continue this year as well.”

JHR’s Team Principal, Steven Hunter, underlined his happiness at officially welcoming Rees into the fold and believes the Welsh teenager will be ‘one to watch’ in the season ahead.

“We are really happy to welcome Matthew to the team officially, after spending lots of time with him over the past 12 months as he tests and gets himself used to F4 machinery,” commented Hunter.

“He showed speed in karting and was definitely one to watch, and so far, we are really pleased with how he is adapting to single seaters.

“JHR Developments has long been a supporter of young talent and helped to bring it through and we are looking forward to doing the same with Matthew this year. He has a good team of people around him and is eager to get out there and show everyone what he can do.”

The 2021 season gets underway at the high-speed Thruxton circuit in Hampshire, at which JHR have an enviable record in previous seasons – six victories from a possible six on the series’ last two visits.