Alex Brundle travelled to Brands Hatch determined to reignite his FIA Formula Two ambitions – instead he was left to reflect on a disappointing weekend which has left him 49 points from a top-three placing.

'It was pretty rubbish really, result wise, which was annoying because I had the pace all weekend,' reflected Brundle.

'Qualifying was okay, but it wasn't my weekend, race wise'.

The King's Lynn racer had targeted a top-three position in the championship prior to the start of the 16-race series and after setting the pre-season testing pace it was a realistic goal.

The opening half of the season saw Brundle just 25 points off third place, with the next pair of races at one of his favourite circuits.

'I would say the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit is one of the most challenging venues we visit in F2,' he said.

'You have to be committed through the fast stuff in an F2 car and there are also some technical bits and pieces to master.'

The weekend started off steadily, with the local racer posting the sixth quickest time in free practice one, he but spun off at Sheene Curve in the second practice session.

Brundle set the early pace in qualifying for the opening race, but ended the session in fifth place which became fourth when Mirko Bortolotti was penalised for not slowing sufficiently when a red flag was displayed.

Brundle lost two places at the start of the race, which quickly came under the control of a safety car after a midfield melee, and on resumption the local racer clipped Christopher Zanella sufficiently hard to cause him to retire.

In qualifying two the GAC-supported driver secured sixth place, but two early trips through the gravel at Paddock Hill and Sheene plus a late pit stop saw the local racer trail in 17th and last.

With just six races left, the next pair being in Austria at the end of August, Brundle has an uphill task to redeem his disappointing season.

Thetford's Simon Hutchinson enjoyed Sunday at Cadwell Park, battling hard to secure fourth place in the Sports V Saloon race in his MG Midget.

Earlier in the RAF event he brought his minute sports car home in fifth place.

Meanwhile, the Norwich pairing of Jim Utting and Andy Gill secured second in class and fifth overall in their Swinging Sixties race while Patrick Fenn, also from Norwich, finished in sixth place in the Deutsch Marque event.

Stowmarket's Josh Webster had a mixed weekend at Croft in Yorkshire. The BARC Formula Renault series leader failed to get past the first lap in race one, but did manage to be placed second in race two.

Webster, caught up in somebody else's accident, was fortunate to make race two. 'The team did an absolutely amazing job and the guys from SWB Motorsport came down to help out as well to get the car ready, I really can't thank them all enough,' he said.