McLaren Autosport BRDC Award nominee Toby Sowery will return to Lanan Racing at the opening round of the BRDC Formula 4 Championship at Snetterton on March 27/28, it has been confirmed today (7 March). The 19-year-old steps up to BRDC F4 after a partial campaign in MSA Formula last year and he will join Indian Akhil Rabindra at the Bedfordshire-based squad.

After a successful karting career, in which he claimed the Kartmasters British Grand Prix title and the 2011 Super 1 National Junior TKM Championship, Sowery graduated to single-seaters in 2014 and claimed the MSV F3 Cup title driving for Lanan Racing. The teenager took 10 wins and four further podiums en route to the championship before also winning the 2014/15 MRF Challenge title.

That preceded a move into MSA Formula for 2015 where the BRDC Rising Star was hindered by a number of unfortunate issues but still showed enough of his talent to be nominated for the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

Sowery said: “I can’t wait to be back out in a car again, especially with Lanan. We’ve had an amazing time working together to win the F3 Cup title, which should set us up well for the new F3-like F4 car. It already feels great and I’m looking forward to winning some more races.”

Graham Johnson, Team Principal of Lanan Racing, commented: “It’s great to have Toby back and to give him this chance. He is a proven front-runner. We are confident that the car will be very competitive so I am absolutely sure he’ll be straight at the front.

“Given his experience relative to his age, he will be a valuable asset to the whole of the team too. He is going to be difficult to beat.”

The 2016 BRDC Formula 4 Championship gets underway at Snetterton on March 27/28.