Former British Formula 3 champion Jordan King is set to make the next move up the single seater ladder in 2015 as it was announced he will be joining the Formula 1-supporting GP2 series with Racing Engineering for the 2015 season.
Following on from two years in FIA European Formula 3 Championship which saw him net seven podium finishes the 20-year-old was faced with a choice of GP2 of Formula Renault 3.5 for the season ahead, but with a promising performance in the end-of-season Abu Dhabi GP2 test it was an easy choice.
“We talked to a few different teams, and it was a tough decision to make,” said King. “There were a lot of factors to take into consideration and I did a lot of research and thinking before reaching a conclusion.
“As a rookie entering a new championship, it’s very important to go with an established and experienced team – and Racing Engineering ticks all the boxes. They have a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise and all the necessary resources at their disposal, and they understand how to get the best out of young drivers – which is just what I need at such a crucial stage of my career.
Racing Engineering have seen the likes of Justin Wilson, Franck Montagny, Lucas Di Grassi and Sebastian Vettel compete for them before moving on to Formula 1.
“They clearly have exceptional credentials and a winning pedigree. It’s an ultra-professional team whose sole focus is on GP2, whereas a lot of other teams compete in several different championships – and in my view, this single-minded approach can only be beneficial.
“Of course, the standard in GP2 is so high that all the teams on the grid do a fantastic job, but Racing Engineering has been a consistently strong force every year and I’m confident they will give me a good car weekend-in, weekend-out. When I visited the team’s workshop in Spain, I was very encouraged and reassured by what I discovered. They showed me some of the systems they have there, and it’s really a very impressive set-up. Everything looks to be in-place to attain results.
“GP2 definitely feels like the natural next step in my career. I came out of the test in Abu Dhabi with my head held high; the car really seemed to suit me and I clicked with it pretty much straightaway. I’ve learned and achieved everything I could have in the lower formulae and have developed as a driver along the way. Both physically and mentally, I feel very well-prepared for the challenges to come.
“It’s too early to set any expectations just yet – there’s plenty of hard work ahead and I’m well aware that I have a lot to take on-board – but we know what the goal is and I’m really excited about it all. I can’t wait to get going!”
Racing Engineering President Alfonso de Orléans Borbon is clearly happy with the decision. “We are delighted that Jordan will be joining us in 2015,” he said.
“We have been following his career path for some time now, and what really convinced us was his professional approach to racing, both on and off the track. I have rarely seen a driver so determined and hard-working to make his dream to get to F1 come true.
“2015 will be Jordan’s rookie season in GP2, and though there are many things to learn before the first race in Bahrain, we have high hopes he will advance rapidly. We are sure it will be a pleasure to work with such a professional, mature and dedicated driver.”