Young Bedford karting ace Jordon Lennox-Lamb has earned himself a dream opportunity to launch himself on the fast track to F1 superstardom – by making it through to the final ten drivers out of more than 50 entrants in the exciting new Grand Prix Shootout initiative.
Off the back of a strong season in the premier class of UK karting that saw him rank inside the top five in Britain in the Super 1 Series – and be cruelly deprived of glory in the prestigious Bridgestone Cup in Italy through engine failure whilst commandingly on-course for victory – Jordon is bidding to shift his burgeoning career up a gear...and Grand Prix Shootout could just help him to do it.
The project has the backing of former British F3 title-winning outfit Raikkonen Robertson Racing (Double R) and is led by esteemed motorsport media manager David Fleming, with help from USF1 team principal Peter Windsor and highly-respected driver coach Rob Wilson, a man who looks after many of the current grand prix grid and benefits from close ties with both McLaren-Mercedes and Williams. Between them, the trio possess a wealth of experience at the very pinnacle of international motor racing.
Grand Prix Shootout attracted interest from far and wide, with entrants from as far afield as Brazil, the USA, New Zealand and Singapore, and Jordon was invited to apply by Fleming, who had been struck by his evident talent and potential. The first test came in a FIAT 500 Abarth at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in Leicestershire in July – during which the Kimbolton Road speed demon drew high praise indeed from a man who has worked with a good many leading international competitors during his time, from Juan-Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard to Valentino Rossi, Nico Rosberg and Bruno Senna.
“The weather was pretty gloomy, with a few rain showers now and then,” he recounted, “but it dried out towards the end. Rob Wilson was in the car with me and helped me along the way, and afterwards he said he had never seen someone learn how to heel-and-toe as quickly as I did.”
“Rob felt there was ‘something’ about him that excited him,” corroborated Fleming. “I think Jordon has what Rob feels makes a very good driver. That will be confirmed at the Formula BMW test, I hope.”
Indeed, Jordon had evidently made a lasting impression, as four months later he received a ‘phone call to inform him that he had been successful in progressing through to the final ten contenders, who will go on to battle it out in a Formula BMW single-seater at Pembrey in South Wales in early December. Amongst the very youngest of the remaining participants – with the oldest aged 25 – the 17-year-old is palpably enthusiastic about the prospect that lies ahead.
What is on offer to the winner is a fully-funded season of competition with Double R, most likely at Formula BMW Europe level – on the support package for the F1 World Championship, so in the most high-profile shop window around – complemented by ongoing driver coaching and fitness training, with the ultimate goal being to make it all the way to the grand prix grid, by way of British F3 in 2011 and quite likely GP2 in 2012. It is without doubt a tremendous opportunity – and one that Jordon does not intend to waste.
“It’s a great scheme, and a real boost to drivers like me who don’t have the funding to progress on their own,” he acknowledged. “I was quite surprised when I received the call, and obviously really happy – as well as a bit nervous about getting into a Formula BMW! I’ve never driven a race car anything like that powerful before, and clearly it will be difficult; I will be learning right from stage one, and will just try to take in as much as I can from working with the data and with the team.
“I’m really looking forward to Pembrey. I’ve driven round there once before, but it was only half a day in a Junior Ginetta so it’s nothing to really brag about. They’re going to be assessing our approach, the way we work and the way we adapt to it all – it won’t necessarily just be about being the fastest in the track.
“I know I’ve just got to try my hardest and take everything on-board, but I’m feeling quite confident – it would mean so much to me if I win, but even if I don’t, it will be a great experience and a fantastic opportunity simply to be able to drive a car like that.
“Due to funding, it’s very unlikely that I could get into cars normally – I don’t want to make the mistake that some drivers do by going into cars and then finding they run out of money and have nothing to fall back on – so I was just focussing on making a career for myself in karting...but this could change everything.”
