Jack Harvey will join Schmidt Petersen Motorsports’ Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires team for the 2014 season as the first driver from the UK-based Racing Step Foundation to race in the U.S.

The 20-year-old from Bassingham, England, was the highest-finishing rookie in the GP3 Series in 2013, scoring wins at Silverstone and Monza for ART Grand Prix. His 13 top-10 finishes carried him to fifth place in the championship.

“A lot of this year is learning, but we have high expectations,” said Harvey, the 2012 British F3 champion said. “I’m intent on winning the championship. I’m coming over to win. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports doesn't need any introduction with their winning history in Indy Lights. We always try to associate ourselves with winners, which is exactly what this team has proven itself to be."

SPM has captured seven Indy Lights titles since 2004 and is the winningest team in series history with 60 victories.

"We’d like to have the stability like we have on the IndyCar Series side, but we keep winning championships and our drivers keep moving up. And that’s the way we want it,” team co-owner Sam Schmidt said. “We look for raw talent, wins and/or championships in a competitive series, commitment and maturity beyond age in our Indy Lights drivers. Jack not only checks one of those boxes, but he has checked all of them."

The Racing Steps Foundation, which supports 11 drivers ranging from GP2 to go-karting, has guided and funded Harvey's racing career since 2009, and was instrumental in helping him make the switch to the Mazda Road to Indy.

"The RSF was created by Graham Sharp quite a few years ago when he decided that he wanted to support drivers who without him wouldn't have the opportunity to go racing," Harvey said. "I've just wrapped up my fifth season racing with them, and there's no way I would have been this competitive since leaving karts without them. I've worked hard to make my own success but they've created opportunities for me to progress up the racing ladder."