FORTUNE deserted Upwell racing star Jake Giddings as he started his season at Brands Hatch in the 2012 Air Asia Renault Clio Cup Championship.

The teenager got as high as sixth in the first race of the prestigious series, which supports the British Touring Car Championship.

But an electrical problem with just half a lap remaining robbed him of valuable championship points - and things got worse in the second race.

The Isle College motorsport student started as the highest placed rookie, in sixth on the grid, but his race was ended in the first lap.

Contact between two front-running cars triggered a multiple car crash, which sent the 17-year-old skidding into the barriers.

Giddings said: “That was a big impact. I’m very disappointed because our qualifying and race pace was fantastic.

“To get in the top 10 in a field of this quality was great, unfortunately the actual races did not go to plan.”

Giddings’ team Finesse Motorsport, based in Upwell, now face a struggle to repair the badly-damaged Renault in time for the next two rounds of the championship.

The next stage of the competition takes place at Donington Park on April 14 and 15, with the Sunday race broadcast live on ITV4.

Giddings thanked his sponsors Glenn White, Finesse Paving and Civil Engineering Ltd and Cowley Road Garage for their support.