European Cup win for King

King travelled to Zandvoort 51 points adrift of championship leader Jake Dennis and needing to stay within 60 markers of his compatriot to keep alive his title hopes going into the season finale at Spa-Francorchamps.

Opting to save his new tyres for the races during practice left the Stoneleigh-based driver sixth on the 23-strong grid for race one and fourth for race two.

From there, King’s efforts to progress in the opening encounter were thwarted by a particularly defensive rival, consigning him to fifth at the chequered flag.

Worse was to follow in race two, with the 18-year-old losing the front wing of his Manor MP Motorsport single-seater in a first corner mêlée.

With the deficit to Dennis widening to 69 points, prospects looked bleak, but from second on the reverse grid in the weekend’s final outing, King turned the situation around in style.

“I got a good start and went all the way around the outside of the pole-sitter into Turn One,” said King. “We had new tyres on and I pulled away over the first couple of laps until the safety car came out. After that, there was a short sprint before the safety car reappeared for an accident and then another short sprint followed by a red flag.

“It felt a little bit surreal, to tell the truth, because there wasn’t even a chequered flag, but it was a win all-the-same and one that has maintained the pressure on Jake and kept the championship battle alive into the last round.”