By Paul Evans

Matthew Rees is setting the UK single-seater motor racing world alight, after taking the lead in the prestigious F4 British Championship mid-way through his debut season.

With 15 of the 30 rounds completed, the Cardiff teenager is sitting on top of the leaderboard, thanks to another double podium finish last weekend at Knockhill.

That puts the F4 rookie five points clear of the field, having knocked James Hedley, who is in his second season of F4 racing, off the top of the points table in Scotland.

Rees is certainly upholding his billing as one of Wales’ most promising motor racing prospects for many years.

His rapid rise up the racing ranks began in 2013, when he started to race karts. In 2018 he graduated to the OK Junior karting category, before family illness put his career on pause in 2019.

He resumed racing mid-way through 2020 with the JHR Developments team – familiarise himself with the UK’s circuits on a simulator, before impressing the squad in testing and securing a race seat for 2021.

Rees’ first season in F4 has included a maiden race victory at Snetterton – before taking a second pole to chequered flag win at the same track shortly afterwards.

The second half of the F4 British Championship begins at Thruxton on August Bank Holiday weekend, and continues at Croft, Silverstone and at Donington Park, before the final three races at Brands Hatch at the end of October.