Harry King joins BWT Lechner for 2022 Porsche Supercup programme
Rising star Harry King will join the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup on a full-time basis in 2022 after agreeing a deal with series front-runners BWT Lechner Racing.
The 21-year-old from Holyport in Berkshire made his debut in the F1 support series last year, contesting a part programme with the Parker Revs Motorsport team alongside his racing commitments in the UK.
Running in the Type 992 version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the first time, Harry was faced with the challenge of learning a new cars and also leaning the majority of the circuits on the calendar as he embarked on his maiden overseas programme.
Despite being limited to a single practice session ahead of each meeting he contested, Harry showed his talent with some hugely encouraging results on track, which included a top ten finish on his series debut on the streets of Monte Carlo and a maiden top six finish in the Monza season finale.
On the back of a stunningly successful two year spell as the Porsche GB Junior driver - which saw him crowned 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion and win more than half of the races he contested - Harry now turns his focus firmly towards the international stage having joined forces with one of Porsche’s leading teams.
Founded in the 1970s by the late Walter Lechner, BWT Lechner Racing is firmly established as one of the powerhouse teams in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup having secured the drivers’ championship title no fewer than eight times with drivers including René Rast and Michael Ammermüller.
The team has also lifted the entrants title eleven times - including a run of seven in a row from 2014 to 2020 - and won the Pro-Am title last year with Nicolas Misslin.
Harry’s 2021 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup campaign will kick off the famous Imola circuit in Italy in late April and will see him take part in eight events across Europe.
"I’m absolutely delighted to announce my deal to join forces with BWT Lechner Racing for the 2022 season and want to say a huge thank you to Robert and the team for putting their faith in me," he said. "When it comes to Porsche racing, they are one of the teams that every driver aspires to drive for, so I’m massively excited to be going into my first full season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as part of their line-up.
"My part season in the series last year allowed me to see how high the level of competition is, and it allowed me to gain vital knowledge that I can take with me into 2022. With track time being so limited on an F1 weekend, there was a huge amount to learn and the fact that I now have experience of a number of the circuits that we’ll be visiting can only benefit me going forwards.
"With the success that BWT Lechner Racing has enjoyed in the past, I’m aware that expectations will be high when the season gets underway but I’m more than ready for the challenge that lies ahead. This is a fantastic opportunity that I fully intend to take with both hands, and I can’t get wait to get started."
BWT Lechner Racing team principal Robert Lechner - who lived and raced in England during his single-seater days - said he was delighted to welcome Harry into the team for 2022.
“Harry is a huge talent and I watched him quite closely in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain as well as in his Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup appearances in 2021," he said. "He has the speed, the race craft and he is working hard – you don´t win the highly competitive Porsche Carrera Cup GB for nothing.
"I believe Harry will be a very strong force for our team in the fight for both the team and the drivers championship, and being able to plan with him for more than a year into the future is ideal as we work to reach our goals.”
2022 Porsche Supercup Calendar:
22-24 April - Imola, Italy
26-29 May - Monaco
1-3 July - Silverstone, UK
8-10 July - Spielberg, Austria
22-24 July - Paul Ricard, France
26-28 August - Spa, Belgium
2-4 September - Zandvoort, Holland
9-11 September - Monza, Italy