Briton Palmer takes GP2 title

SOCHI Russia (Reuters) - Jolyon Palmer clinched the GP2 championship title in Russia on Saturday, becoming the first Briton since Lewis Hamilton in 2006 to win what was once considered the main Formula One feeder series.

The 23-year-old son of former F1 racer Jonathan Palmer is in his fourth season in the series. The 2008 Formula One champion Hamilton won it at the first attempt and then moved up.

Other GP2 champions who went on to Formula One include Hamilton's Mercedes team mate and 2014 title rival Nico Rosberg, Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, Germany's Nico Hulkenberg and Frenchman Romain Grosjean.

The last two champions, Italian Davide Valsecchi (2012) and Switzerland's Fabio Leimer (2013), have not managed to secure a grand prix seat, with teams looking instead at alternative series for talent.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Tony Jimenez)