Chart Sutton’s Tom Jackson will swap Maidstone for the Middle East this weekend when he takes part in a prestigious test in Bahrain.

The former single-seater racer, 20, will drive a G-Drive Racing ORECA 05-Nissan machine for the Frant-based JOTA Sport squad.

He will be taking part in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s young driver test at the 3.3-mile Formula 1 circuit on Sunday, driving an LMP2 class car for the first time.

Jackson said: “This has been a couple of years in the making, and I have been really determined to do it for a long time.

“There are only six cars in the test and when you think of all the young drivers trying to get into sportscars, not many people get to do it.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity and if something came of it, that would be an absolute bonus, but I am going there to have an experience in the World Endurance Championship.”

Jackson finished third in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship in 2015, scoring two victories for the Chris Dittmann Racing team.

The former Ginetta Junior driver piloted an LMP3 Ligier in the European Le Mans Series this season for the Valencia-based Speed Factory.

He added: “After Ginetta Juniors in 2013, I emailed Sam Hignett at JOTA and arranged a meeting.

"I want to prove I am worthy of a shot at something..." - Tom Jackson

“I said then that I wanted to drive one of their LMP2 cars and I have been involved with them ever since.

“My aim is to go out there and have a good experience - I want to prove I am worthy of a shot at something and it should raise my profile as a young sportscar driver.”

Jackson, who works as a racing instructor, said he has enjoyed his first year of sportscar racing.

“It has been ridiculously competitive,” he said.

“Looking back, racing in the ELMS has been great, but we have just been unlucky with issues on the car.

“It has been an unreliable year, but it has been a good experience both on and off the circuit.”