Jordan King delighted with 91-lap Manor test

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GP2 racer Jordan King enjoyed a busy day behind the wheel with Manor Racing at the Circuit de Catalunya on Wednesday.

The young hopeful had previously tested with the minnow outfit at the end of last year at Abu Dhabi, but admitted the team's 2016 MRT05 is a big upgrade in terms of performance.

King lapped fairly consistently all day, completing a total of 91 laps and achieving the 10th time on the timesheets, but his efforts were cut short however in the afternoon by an issue affecting the blue and orange machine, preventing him from sampling a set of Pirelli SuperSoft rubber.

"Despite having my first taste of an F1 car in Abu Dhabi last year, driving this year’s MRT05 for the first time today was just as exhilarating," said King.

"Possibly more so, actually, given that it’s such a big step on in terms of power and braking stability in particular.

"It was a learning process on both sides, both for me in terms of driving and the team understanding the car more. Overall it seemed quite a positive day."

King detailed the differences between Manor's 2015 car he drove in Abu Dhabi and this year's Mercedes-powered contender.

"There are lots of similarities, but where they have improved is in big areas. Obviously the engine is one of them, which everyone would be quick to say.

"But things like braking stability is better, traction is much better and the front end is a lot more pointy compared to last year. It also feels good in high-speed corners, so clearly it’s a good step forwards but there are still steps forward to be made – even today with small things.

Compared to his usual GP2 mount, King believes that Formula 1 still offers a young driver the 'Wow' factor.

"It still has that wow factor. We have got 620bhp in GP2 and we are getting close to 1000bhp in Formula One. That’s a good road car of difference, so it still has the wow factor under acceleration and when you do a practice start."

While the run gave King another opportunity to gain F1 experience, it was still very much a working day for Manor, aimed at improving the car's overall performance level.

"I had a big programme of items to work through. We had hoped to make enough progress for me to get some time on the Supersoft but we had an issue at the end which brought our day to a close sooner than we’d hoped.

"That said, it’s not all about the timesheets and it’s just as valuable for the team to see what I can bring in terms of application and feedback. All in all, I’m pretty pleased."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.