Jordan King has been showing a great deal of confidence in his racing this season, his second in GP2, and it has culminated in him winning the last two Sprint Races at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone. The races were held in difficult conditions as the result of rain and his faultless driving in both gave him deserved victories and has moved him up into a strong position to battle for the Drivers’ Championship. Below Jordan looks back at Silverstone and ahead to this weekend's round at the Hungaroring.
Congratulations, Jordan! During the last two rounds at Spielberg and Silverstone you won both of the GP2 Sprint Races. Scoring in both of these last two races means you are up there fighting for the championship. Are these wins an extra motivation for you?
No, in short, I have been motivated all year to go for the championship and this is just part of the steps we have to make to get the title. Of course it feels good to win the races and gives you a bit of a boost, but I still want to win more than ever.
At your home race in Silverstone you made a perfect start from pole position, leading from the beginning to the end. Can you summarise what it feels for you to win on home soil?
During the race you are so focused you don't really notice the surroundings so it was good to absorb the atmosphere after the race. It was one of the best feelings I have ever had in motorsport, on the in-lap waving and looking at the 140,000 strong crowd was something special and I will remember for a long time.
The next venue on the calendar is the Hungaroring. Do you think you will be able to keep the momentum and we will be able to see you at the top spot of the podium there as well?
I don’t see why not, we have been close to getting a win in race one now for quite a few weekends but thrown it away and had to win the race on Sunday, so ill be pushing for a race 1 win.
The Hungaroring is a really special race circuit. Its mix of slow-speed corners, few possibilities to overtake, the bumpy surface, high temperatures make it a challenge for drivers. Where do you see the main requirements to succeed at this track?
I find the Hungaroring’s biggest challenge is being able to adapt throughout the lap as each corner offers a different challenge. The key is to maximize the lap during qualifying and then be able to adapt during the race as the track and tyres change.
You were good, scoring points, during last year’s GP2 round at the Hungaroring. With an additional year’s experience in the championship, do you approach this weekend differently?
No I won’t be approaching this weekend in any different manner as I feel our preparation this year has been great. I will be spending a few days on the simulator to make sure I'm ready. The only thing I have changed slightly is my fitness training as Hungary is one of the most physical circuits so I really wanted to be more than fit enough for this weekend.
In Hungary, we reach the halfway point of this season. You are currently 7th in the drivers’ standings and knowing your speed, there if for sure more to be expected for the next races, right?
Its all about keeping the pressure up going into the summer break and the gap now to the leader is 15 points so I’ll be focusing on closing that up further. |