Introduction
Matthew Owain Rees (born 27 July 2005) is a British racing driver from Wales who most recently competed in the GB3 Championship, driving for JHR Developments. He was the 2021 F4 British Championship champion, and is a BRDC Superstar.
Career
Karting
Rees competed in various karting championships across the United Kingdom, before he drove in international karting in 2018 and 2019, including in the FIA European Karting Championship and the FIA Karting World Championship.
F4 British Championship
Rees made his car racing debut in the 2021 F4 British Championship, driving for JHR Developments. He took double pole position at round 1, but finished 13th in race 1 after an unsuccessful tyre gamble. After taking another double pole at the second round at Snetterton Circuit, he converted this into victory in race 1 and race 3. He took pole position for race 1 at the third round at Brands Hatch, making it his fifth consecutive pole of the season.
After a quieter middle of the season, Rees took double pole position at the penultimate round at Donington Park, and converted it into wins in the first and third race. Entering the final round of the season in the championship lead, Rees finished in the top 5 in all three races, enough to seal the overall title and rookie title.
GB3 Championship
2022
On 12 January 2022, it was announced that Rees would step up to the 2022 GB3 Championship, driving again for JHR Developments. He finished third in his debut race, and took two other podiums finished across the season, including a win at Brands Hatch, and pole at the same weekend after Tom Lebbon received a grid penalty from the previous round. He finished 6th in the standings.
2023
Rees re-signed with JHR Developments for the 2023 GB3 Championship.
Karting record
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Super 1 MSA British IAME Cadet Karting Championship | Soixante Racing Team | 35th |
| 2015 | Super 1 National IAME Cadet Championship | CKS | 30th |
| 2016 | LGM Series - IAME Cadet | 15th | |
| Super 1 National IAME Cadet Championship | AIM Motorsport | 9th | |
| ABkC British Open Championship - IAME Cadet | 9th | ||
| 2017 | LGM Series - IAME Cadet | 13th | |
| Super 1 National IAME Cadet Championship | 6th | ||
| 2018 | CIK-FIA European Junior Championship - OK | Ricky Flynn Motorsport | 34th |
| CIK-FIA Karting World Championship - Junior | 20th | ||
| German Junior Kart Championship - OK Junior | 13th | ||
| 23° South Garda Winter Cup - OK Junior | 19th | ||
| WSK Final Cup - OK Junior | 14th | ||
| 2019 | CIK-FIA Karting European Championship - OK Junior | KR Motorsport | |
| WSK Champions Cup - Junior | |||
| WSK Super Masters Series - OK Junior | 13th | ||
| 24° South Garda Winter Cup - OK Junior | 23rd |
Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | F4 British Championship | JHR Developments | 30 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 331 | 1st |
| 2022 | GB3 Championship | JHR Developments | 24 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 310.5 | 6th |
| Prototype Challenge - Radical | Valour Performance Technology | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | |
| 2023 | GB3 Championship | JHR Developments | 23 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 370 | 5th |
Complete F4 British Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | JHR Developments | THR11 13 |
THR12 13 |
THR13 5 |
SNE1 1 |
SNE2 12 |
SNE3 1 |
BHI1 9 |
BHI2 2 |
BHI3 4 |
OUL1 2 |
OUL2 9 |
OUL3 5 |
KNO1 3 |
KNO2 14 |
KNO3 3 |
THR21 9 |
THR22 7 |
THR23 5 |
CRO1 3 |
CRO2 12 |
CRO3 5 |
SIL1 2 |
SIL2 NC |
SIL3 Ret |
DON1 1 |
DON2 7 |
DON3 1 |
BHGP1 5 |
BHGP2 5 |
BHGP3 4 |
1st | 331 |
Complete GB3 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | JHR Developments | OUL1 3 |
OUL2 4 |
OUL3 16 |
SIL11 12 |
SIL12 8 |
SIL13 Ret |
DON11 8 |
DON12 6 |
DON13 7 |
SNE1 Ret |
SNE2 4 |
SNE3 12 |
SPA1 DSQ |
SPA2 7 |
SPA3 15 |
SIL21 8 |
SIL22 6 |
SIL23 6 |
BRH1 1 |
BRH2 3 |
BRH3 13 |
DON21 17 |
DON22 6 |
DON23 9 |
6th | 310.5 |
| 2023 | JHR Developments | OUL1 2 |
OUL2 11 |
OUL3 14 |
SIL11 3 |
SIL12 7 |
SIL13 23 |
SPA1 Ret |
SPA2 9 |
SPA3 Ret |
SNE1 2 |
SNE2 4 |
SNE3 18 |
SIL21 1 |
SIL22 2 |
SIL23 C |
BRH1 6 |
BRH2 5 |
BRH3 12 |
ZAN1 6 |
ZAN2 7 |
ZAN3 14 |
DON1 2 |
DON2 4 |
DON3 13 |
5th | 370 |