Burton is still only 13 years old but will turn 14 before the inaugural UK Clio Cup Junior race season begins in early June.

The championship is for 14 to 17-year-old racing drivers in cars almost identical to those raced in the high-profile senior Renault UK Clio Cup that appears at British Touring Car Championship events. The only differences are a minor modification to the ECU that limits cars to five gears and 100mph plus a switch to road tyres, Michelin’s high performance Pilot Sport 3.

Burton, who has raced regularly in karts at Kimbolton, has already tested the UK Clio Cup car in Junior specification with JamSport – 2016’s title-winning team in the senior UK Clio Cup (with Ant Whorton-Eales).

Burton commented: “I am really excited about being part of the first season of UK Clio Cup Junior and can’t wait to compete in June.

“I have joined a top team in JamSport to give me the best chance of success and I have already had some test days in my new car which was delivered last month. The sequential gearbox is unbelievably efficient and the handling is true and balanced. I love driving it.”

Burton joins the already-announced Bradley Burns (Farnham) in JamSport’s UK Clio Cup Junior line-up. JamSport Team Principal Jamie Going said: “We’re really happy to have signed Gus – we believe the way the category is structured will really enable talent to shine and Gus has certainly shown us already he has natural pace and lots of determination.”

Renault Sport’s UK Motorsport Championship Manager Will Fewkes added: “We very much welcome Gus into the ‘Renault Sport UK family’ which has produced so many greats of the sport and look forward to working with him and his family in 2017.”

The inaugural 2017 Renault UK Clio Cup Junior championship will take place over 12 races – two each at six events. They start at the Thruxton circuit in Hampshire on Sat 3/Sun 4 June.