Chipping Norton’s Sean Walkinshaw just missed out on a brace of top-ten finishes in the first two rounds of the EuroFormula Open at the Nurburgring, Germany.

Driving for the Campos Racing team, the 20-year-old twice finished 11th, with some mixed fortune in qualifying and in the races hampering his points-scoring potential.

Walkinshaw said: “We were close to the points, I just couldn’t get through into the top ten.

“There has been some bad luck this weekend, but our race pace has been really good, which is very positive for the season going forward.”

Walkinshaw had to settle for the 11th fastest time in race one qualifying – his lap of 1min 53.516secs just four-tenths shy of the top six.

Dramatically, before the start of the race, he suffered a right-front puncture, whichled to an unexpected tyre change at the last minute.

When the lights went out, he made a good getaway to break into the top ten, but locked up and ran wide, losing a few positions.

Moving back into 11th place, he circulated close behind Igor Urien, but couldn’t find a way past, with a developing engine issue limiting his opportunities, and he took the chequered flag just 0.8secs shy of tenth spot.

Walkinshaw’s round two qualifying session was compromised by some set-up changes, which didn’t pay dividends, leading to him being 17th on the grid.

By lap ten, he was knocking on the door of the points-paying top ten, but had to settle for 11th place once more.