EXTER: Harry Tincknell, the son of Connaught's former executive chairman, has benefited from series of sponsorship deals from suppliers to Connaught.
At least five major suppliers to Connaught, the beleaguered social housing maintenance group, have helped bankroll the promising motor racing career of Harry Tincknell, son of the company's recently-departed executive chairman, through a series of sponsorship deals.
Prominent among Mr Tincknell's sponsorship partners is Plumbing Trade Supplies. Also placing its brand name on the young driver's shirts is national builders' merchant Jewson, equipment rental firm Speedy Hire and IT firms Azzurri and Annodata.
Sponsors stress that the decision to sponsor Mr Tincknell was made for commercial reasons and some sponsors offer similar sponsorship deals throughout motor sport.
All five businesses have significant ties with Connaught, the business Harry's father, Mark Tincknell, spent 28 years building from a small regional operator in Exeter into one of Britain's largest social housing maintenance groups.
A shock profits warning in late June led to panic among a range of Connaught's stakeholders, including investors, suppliers and lenders. The company's share price dropped 95% amid concerns about the group's aggressive accounting policies.
Harry Tincknell, who turns 19 next month and lives with his parents, is a promising driver and claimed his second Formula Renault UK Championship victory last weekend at Snetterton racetrack in Norfolk.
