• Three podiums in four races for Cambridge racer

Strong drives in the final two races of the Formula Palmer Audi Winter Championship at Brands Hatch, Kent, today, were enough to take Cambridge-based racer Rob Huff to second place in the championship - on his debut in the powerful cars. The highlight of Huff's day was a stunning drive to fifth place from 17th on the grid - the only time the 20-year-old failed to finish outside the top three in the four race championship.

Huff arrived at Brands Hatch joint leader of the series, but had to battle for points in an action-packed first race. From sixth on the grid, Huff had made his way up as high as third in the opening laps before being tipped into a spin by another car, sending him to the back of the field. A lap later the race was stopped, and officials declared a 'new' race, but, unusually, rather than lining the cars up again in grid order, chose to use the positions from the end of lap three - demoting Huff to 17th on the grid.

In a superb opening lap Huff passed eight cars, and by the end of the 15-lap race had fought his way back to fifth place. This put Huff second in the championship going into the final race, just one point behind the leader. Huff made a good start, but the car in front was slower away and they touched, damaging the front wing of Huff's FPA race car. That lost him a couple of paces, but he made up ground, being the quickest car on the track in the early laps, to take third at the end - the chequered flag coming out a lap early as officials worried about the failing light at the circuit.

"The opening laps of the re-started race were the best I have ever driven," said Huff. "Every time a gap opened up I just went for it, and I don't think most people even knew I was there until I went past.

"I got a good start in the second race, but the car in front was slower and he chopped across. I didn't want to lift off and we touched - the car didn't like turning right after that and I was just hanging on through some corners. I had to be smooth with the car and I was quick at the back of the circuit. I took third when the car in front ran wide, but he didn't like being passed and fought back, though I held him off.

"I'm pleased with second on the championship. I would have liked to won, but I'm the leading Briton on the series and that's something I really wanted to be. We'll be celebrating tonight, and if I can put the budget together then I'd love to do this series next year, but it depends on the money!