King set to make Formula Two history

The Stoneleigh driver is currently in the midst of his maiden campaign of racing in the Formula Renault UK single-seater series, but he has already had a fleeting taste of Formula Two having taken the wheel of one of the 500bhp beasts in late 2009, aged just 15 - the youngest driver to do so by more than two years.

King caught the eye of Jonathan Palmer, both in testing and also during a one-off appearance in Formula Palmer Audi (FPA) at Silverstone last autumn where he secured a pole position and a podium finish, and the former F1 driver believes King has what it takes to make the step up to Formula Two.

“Despite his age, Jordan has already achieved a great deal of success, quickly rising through the ranks in karting and now beginning what will undoubtedly be a successful single-seater career,” said Palmer.

“I watched Jordan’s first Formula Two test at Valencia and he was really impressive - form that was backed up by his fantastic FPA debut. Jordan is very quick and cool with it, and I suspect the level playing field of Formula Two will enable him to prove just what a talent he is with some top ten results.”

At 17, the youngest competitor ever to grace the grid in the current era of Formula Two – a series that dates back to 1967 in its original incarnation – King is keen to live up to those rave reviews.

Taking advantage of Formula Renault UK’s annual summer break, he will move on to the Nürburgring and Brands Hatch after his Spa-Francorchamps debut.

As to pressure, he simply shrugs. What pressure?

“There will be more people watching me than usual, but I think there will be less pressure if anything, because nobody will really be expecting me to do much,” said the Princethorpe College student

“It’s a really good opportunity for me, and I’m looking forward to learning as much as possible about the car – and getting to know some of the European circuits that I will come to later on in my career will be good experience, too.”