BRITISH RACING DRIVERS' CLUB CONTINUES TO SUPPORT YOUNG TALENT WITH 2022 SUPERSTARS

The British Racing Drivers’ Club is delighted to announce the full roster of drivers on its prestigious BRDC SuperStars programme for 2022. The United Kingdom’s premier motor racing talent supporting scheme will add four new names who, between them, secured several championship titles last season.

Since its inception in 2008, more than 100 drivers have benefitted from the unique experience and guidance the scheme has to offer, both from the BRDC’s Members themselves, as well as tailored training, development, and fitness programmes, whilst Andy Meyrick, himself a BRDC SuperStar from 2009-11, continues as Director.

The Club is pleased to welcome to the ranks this year: Ollie Bearman, Luke Browning, Seb Priaulx, and Matthew Rees, who bring with them seven championship titles, despite being an average of just 18 years of age.

Ollie, an Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award finalist, is just 16 years of age and joins the BRDC SuperStars as a dual title holder, claiming both the German and Italian Formula 4 championships last season. That came off the back of an impressive karting resume and wins in both series as a Rookie during the challenging 2020 season. Ollie recently became a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy and will race in the FIA Formula 3 Championship this year with leading outfit Prema Racing.

Starting his career in Junior Saloons before switching to the Ginetta Junior Championship, Luke was a race winner in both series. He was British Formula 4 champion in 2020, just beating fellow BRDC SuperStar Zak O’Sullivan with the highest points-per-race total in the Series’s history. Luke took two wins in German F4 last year, scored a podium in a one-off appearance in the Italian F4 series, and won on his GB3 Championship partnered with the BRDC debut, where he will return this year with Hitech GP.

Seb has most recently competed in the United States and has achieved success throughout his career. The 2016 Ginetta Junior Winter Series champion had two wins in British F4 before moving to endurance racing, securing two victories en route to the runner-up spot in British GT’s challenging GT4 class. He remained in GT4 in the US in 2020 before becoming the very first Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion last year with six wins. He finished second in LMP3 at this year’s Daytona 24 Hours. His 2022 programme will be announced shortly.

The fourth of the newcomers is rapidly rising talent Matthew Rees, another 16-year-old BRDC SuperStar. The Welsh racer had success in karting before an illness in the family curtailed his activities. He got back behind the wheel in 2021 and jumped straight in at the deep end for his first year of car racing, joining the F4 British Championship still with the black and yellow novice cross on his machine, but was a standout performer, taking both the overall and Rookie titles at the first attempt. He moves to the GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC this season, remaining with JHR Developments.

Returning as BRDC SuperStars this year will be Ben Tuck, Dan Harper, Dan Ticktum, Harry King, Jake Hill, Jonny Edgar, Phil Hanson, Tom Gamble, and Zak O’Sullivan.

Dan Harper and Ben Tuck were both race winners on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2021. Dan continues as a member of the BMW Junior Team and will be back on the 25km circuit in the Nürburgring Endurance Series, racing the new BMW M4 GT3. Ben’s programme has yet to be announced.

A trio of BRDC SuperStars will contest the FIA Formula 3 Championship as Ollie joins Jonny and Zak in the series. Zak, fresh from becoming the latest Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award winner, graduates with Carlin, with whom he claimed the GB3 Championship in 2021, while Jonny, another AMABA finalist, had a difficult first year in the series and will make the switch to 2021 team champions Trident this season.

Remaining in single seaters but taking on a brand-new challenge, Dan Ticktum has already started his season in Formula E, getting up to speed with races in Saudi Arabia and Mexico with Nio 333 Racing.

Jake is back in the British Touring Car Championship this season but in a fresh environment and rear-wheel-drive machinery as he moves to West Surrey Racing, as MB Motorsport, in a BMW 330e M Sport. Alongside four-time champion Colin Turkington, this should be Jake’s best chance yet at a championship title.

Also joining a new team for 2022 is Harry King, who remains in the Porsche Supercup but switches to front runners Lechner Racing. After a challenging year switching between very different generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars and learning the circuits in Europe, Harry has every chance to show those on the international stage what he achieved on home soil in spectacular fashion in 2020.

Finally, Phil and Tom made history last season as the first BRDC SuperStars to share the same car, finishing runners up in the European Le Mans Series and taking victory in Portugal. Phil will once again race LMP2 machinery in the FIA World Endurance Championship and ELMS, whilst adding the IMSA Endurance Cup to his resume. Tom joins Phil in the ELMS once more and has already raced this season in the Daytona 24 Hours and in the Asian Le Mans Series, in an Aston Martin GT3.

Andy Meyrick – BRDC SuperStars programme director

“It’s always exciting to announce the members of the BRDC SuperStars and I’m really pleased with the group we have this year. The goal of the BRDC SuperStars is to prepare members to help them become professional racing drivers, so it’s gratifying to see drivers like Sandy Mitchell become a Lamborghini factory driver and graduate from the programme.

“For 2022 we’ve got nine returning members who are all going to be facing new challenges this season, and who will continue to benefit from the programme as they mature and gain more experience. I’m also delighted that they can be joined by a new crop of drivers in Luke, Matt, Ollie and Seb. I think they are four incredible talents that I know we can help nurture into top line drivers.”

Matthew Rees – GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC (JHR Developments)

“I had a good conversation with Andy who explained the requirements, what I need to bring and what I can get out of the programme. So it's a great thing to know that there's always that support. Going from the BRDC Rising Stars to the SuperStars is even better than I could have imagined for this year, so I'm really happy.”

“I know that Zak and Jonny are both on the programme. Zak has done my series (British F4 and GB3) and Jonny's racing in FIA F3, so there's people who I can talk to and can learn from, and hopefully follow in their success.”

Seb Priaulx – Programme to be announced

“I’ve been a BRDC Rising Star for a couple of years but to be a SuperStar is a great honour. It’s such a prestigious club and to be recognised as one of the top 13 young British drivers is really something special.

“I’m very excited about it. I know a couple of the guys on the programme already and being involved with the BRDC as a SuperStar is a really good thing to have on your CV. It’s a Club that’s recognized all over the world so it’s a great privilege.”

Ollie Bearman – FIA Formula 3 Championship (Prema Racing)

“I’m really honoured to be selected as a BRDC SuperStar. It was a welcome surprise to be selected and I’m looking forward to getting started. The support they provide will be extremely helpful for my 2022 season. It’s going to be a big year for me so it’s great knowing I can get the benefit of advice and support from Andy and the BRDC.”

Luke Browning – GB3 Championship partnered by the BRDC (Hitech GP)

“I’m grateful for the opportunity. It’s amazing news as there are only a few people who get chosen to join the programme. It’s an absolutely phenomenal opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing the doors it will help open.”

Jake Hill – British Touring Car Championship (ROKiT MB Motorsport)

“I’m immensely proud to be on it for my third year. Hopefully, with Covid being a little more in the past, I can make the most of being a BRDC SuperStar. I’m looking forward to doing a few more of the group days. The one at Warwick University was really good and a useful day. You’re only on the programme for a short time so you’ve really got to make the most of it.”

Ben Tuck – Programme to be confirmed

“I’m absolutely honoured to be invited back for another year on the BRDC SuperStars programme. I really feel I got the full benefit from it last year, working with people I ordinarily would not have been able to have access to.

“The group events last year were really useful, it was good to get all the members together to get to know each other but also to share experiences. It’s great the BRDC can help open doors for young drivers.”

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