Jon Barnes made a sensational debut in the last round of the Caterham Superlight Eurocup Championship at the fabled Nurburgring in Germany.

After an excellent first season in the Caterham SuperGraduate Championship in which he finished runner-up, the West End teenager was offered a drive by Team Parker Racing, who, through Barry Horne have just clinched the British and European Championship titles.

And Barnes made an instant impact by pushing Horne all the way to pick up a highly impressive second place.

Although just getting used to the greater power and handling of the 130mph machines, Barnes astonished everyone by putting the car on the front row of a 34-car grid.

In the first race Barnes, unused to the rolling start, was out-sprinted to the first corner by Horne and last year's champion Cooper but quickly got back in to the thick of things briefly taking the lead on the second lap.

But it was not too long before Horne and then Cooper took the lead - and Cooper went on to take the flag ahead of Horne, only the second time has been beaten this season. Barnes crossed the line an excellent third.

Although Horne immediately took the lead in Sunday's finale, Barnes surged straight up into second place with Cooper out-braking himself and going wide under the threat from Barnes.

The youngster, though, drove supremely well and actually led for four laps.

Horne was never far behind and retook the lead three laps from home.

Barnes fought back, outbraked Horne into the chicane and led again before Horne's experience of Caterham last lap duelling told in the end, taking the win by less than a second from the Hampshire youngster.

Horne said: "Jon put in a really good drive. It was a great race."

Barnes hopes for a Superlight career in 2003 but father David explained: " It means trying to get sufficient sponsorship from local and national companies to enable us to buy tyres and do the testing and setting up of the car before each round of the championship."