Red Bull Driver Search winner Colin Fleming has signed to drive in the World Series by Renault in 2005, a major feeder for Formula One talent in Europe.

Fleming, 20, from San Diego, will climb to the World Series with Jenzer Motorsport. He finished second in the German Formula Renault series and third in the Eurocup Formula Renault series with Jenzer in 2004. Red Bull Driver Search winner and fellow American Scott Speed won both titles.

“I am happy to be racing with Jenzer again this season,” Fleming said. “It’s a fiercely competitive outfit and already knowing my engineer and the guys on the team is only going to help me get up to speed that much faster. I am absolutely ready to take on this challenge, and I just can’t wait to race again and continue to show what I can do.”

The World Series, known as the World Series by Nissan from 1998-2003, is an open-wheel championship featuring Dallara chassis and 3.5-liter Renault V6 engines generating 425 horsepower.

2004 World Series champion Heikki Kovalainen of Finland upset both seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher and reigning World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb to win the Race of Champions event in December in Paris. Other top drivers who have raced in the World Series include Formula One veterans Fernando Alonso, Enrique Bernoldi and Ricardo Zonta.

All nine events on the 2005 World Series schedule take place on European circuits, including events on current Formula One tracks Monaco, Magny-Cours in France and Monza in Italy.

Fleming is the second Red Bull Driver Search winner to recently land a ride in a top European series in 2005. Speed signed with the iSport International team to drive in the new GP2 series, the closest step to Formula One on the international racing ladder.