RED flags and rain gave Upwell motorsport ace Jake Giddings a headache at the Air Asia Renault Clio Cup.

The teenager could only qualify in 14th and 18th for the two races at rounds seven and eight at Oulton Park. This was despite being quickest by several seconds in the early part of the session at the technical 2.28-mile Cheshire circuit.

Giddings was forced to take to the grass in race one, to avoid a multi-car accident on the first corner, but he recovered to claw his way back up to 14th.

The College of West Anglia student was on the grass again in race two but battled back from 20th position to finish in a credible 12th place.

Giddings said: “A red flag on my fast lap in qualifying left us with no time to get heat back into the tyres.

“We gambled on the session staying wet, but it dried and the red flags just didn’t go our way which was very frustrating.”

The Clio Cup is part of the support package for the British Touring Car Championship and features live on ITV.

It moves to Croft this week, where Giddings will take to the track for the Celtic Speed Scottish Mini Cooper Cup Races.