Paul Rees joins Formula 2

Formula 2 news Paul Rees joins Formula 214 March 2010Formula 2 series organisers have revealed that Paul Rees will be joining the grid this year to become the second British driver so far after Jack Clarke and Jolyon Palmer. Paul joins the championship as son of Alan Rees, one founder of the March, Shadow and Arrows Formula 1 teams. Alan also finished in the top five of the first F2 season in 1967. Paul Rees joins F2 after taking five podium positions in Formula Palmer Audi last season, which included a hat-trick of rostrums at Brands Hatch in August. 2009 followed a successful maiden campaign in the FPA series where the 23-year-old took pole position on his championship debut and ended the season as the third highest placed rookie. Rees has also raced in both Formula BMW and Formula Renault 2.0 in the UK. Paul's father Alan finished third in the 1966 Formula 2 Trophées de France, beating Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill along the way. He then went on to finish fifth in the inaugural Formula 2 Europe championship in 1967, and he also competed in Formula One for Brabham. Paul has already driven the Williams-designed F2 car during winter testing in Portimão, Portugal and the Oxford driver is now hoping to follow in the footsteps of his father by reaching the highest tier in motorsport. "I am thrilled to be racing in Formula 2," he said. "This feels like the natural step on the motorsport ladder for me and I am 100 percent ready for it. I was really impressed with the F2 car during testing - there is a lot of power, good balance and a great gearbox. My father Alan Rees was a very successful Formula 2 driver and it's a good feeling to be the next generation racing under the same name." "I'm delighted Paul is joining F2," added F2 Series Director Jonathan Palmer. "He has completed two seasons of FPA, becoming increasingly competitive, and was leading at a final Snetterton race until suffering a slow puncture. Paul is certainly ready to move up now and F2 will provide the best learning environment as it is the only series in which all drivers can learn from the fastest by seeing not just data but on board video from every session."