Walker races into top-six

Motorsport: SHAW’S Alex Walker secured a top-six finish on his Formula Renault UK Championship debut at Rockingham.

The 16-year-old — the youngest driver on the grid — qualified in eighth position for race one and the Fortec Motorsport racer moved up a place in the opening lap.

After 17 gruelling laps, during which he gained another position, he crossed the line in sixth and bagged 18 points in the process.

Another solid performance in race two saw Walker produce consistently fast times and finish ninth.

He said: “It has been a really positive and useful experience, and I am pleased with my performance this weekend.

“It was a big step to come into Formula Renault so late on in the season, racing against drivers that have a lot more experience than me, but I have learnt a lot which will only help me develop as a driver.

"The nature of the circuit made overtaking very difficult for everyone but I now have a better understanding of how to drive these cars and how to get the most from them."

This weekend sees Walker return to his bread and butter — Croft hosts the final meeting of the InterSteps Championship and the climax of his title bid.

Top spot will go to either current leader Jake Dennis, who also races for Fortec, or second-placed Walker.