Caterham-backed driver Matt Parry will step up to the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup this year with Fortec Motorsports.
The Welshman won the Intersteps title in the UK in 2012 with the Fortec team and will now remain with the British outfit for the move to European competition, which will be his third year in single-seaters. As well as the entire NEC, Parry will also contest selected Eurocup rounds.
In addition to the Caterham F1 Driver Development Programme, Parry’s campaign will also be supported by Sport Wales, the organisation responsible for distributing funds to sport in the country.
“I?m looking forward to stepping up to Formula Renault, and racing in the very competitive Northern European Cup,” said 18-year-old Parry.
“After the success of last year, Formula Renault is the logical choice for my career progression, and racing internationally will provide a new and interesting challenge. It?s not going to be easy, but I believe I?ve made the right choice in remaining with Fortec, which took the NEC title last season, and know that, with the support of Caterham F1 and Sport Wales, I have everything in place to succeed.
“I couldn?t ask for better supporters than Caterham F1 and Sport Wales. The information and facilities they put at my disposal will prove invaluable throughout the season, and I look forward to repaying their faith with success on the track.”
Fortec team manager Jamie Dye added: “Fortec Motorsport are proud to retain Matt Parry for a second year, and thank Caterham for their trust in our ability. We are confident that Matt can win back to back titles from Intersteps to NEC Renault, although the grid is the strongest it’s ever been. Matt has our full support for 2013 – he is a very professional young man who has a lot to offer. We wish him good luck.”
Parry joins Shahaan Engineer and Ryan Tveter in Fortec’s NEC squad. Also 18, American driver Tveter contested the Star Mazda series in his homeland last year.
“I am thrilled to be joining Fortec for this very important year in my career,” said Tveter. “The Northern European Cup is definitely going to be a challenge. It?s my first full season of racing and my first year racing in Europe, and the high level of competition in NEC will be an excellent learning opportunity for me.
“The team is absolutely fantastic. The people are amazing and they have great resources and results. I?m looking forward to learning as much as I can. My focus will be on adapting to the new tracks, as I haven?t raced on any of them previously; learning the new car, and working well with the team. Fortec has high expectations and I?m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together.”
Dye commented: “All of us at Fortec would like to thank Ryan for putting his faith in our team. We are very happy to have him on the team to compete in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup. The first step in pre-season testing will be establishing a good understanding of how the tyres work. The aim is to be consistently in the top six and run a competitive season throughout. We know that Ryan can do a good job and can?t wait to get on track.”