CHIPPING Norton’s Sean Walkinshaw secured his maiden InterSteps Championship podium finish with a third place at the Rockingham International Sports Car Circuit – despite an early crash.

Driving at just his fourth weekend in the series, the 18-year-old took the minor honours in the second of the weekend’s three races.

Although hit heavily from behind on lap two when in fourth, which damaged the rear wing of his Mygale FB02, Walkinshaw maintained his position prior to the emergence of the safety car on lap six.

Matt Parry was then forced to pull off the circuit when in second, and Walkinshaw moved up to third.

Matt Mason took the chequered flag, with Cameron Twynham second. “It’s good to get on the podium,” said Walkinshaw.

“I was worried I’d got a puncture from being hit at the first hairpin, the rim was digging into the tyre, so I don’t know how it didn’t deflate.”

Walkinshaw, who finished sixth in the two other races as Mason posted a hat-trick of wins, makes his debut in a Formula 3 car in the MSV F3 Cup at the Anglesey International Circuit this weekend.

Standings (top ten): 1 M Parry 570pts, 2 M Mason 518, 3 J Aitken 403, 4 C Twynham 352, 5 L Venter 313, 6 L Halminen 275, 7 N Miliakov 251, 8 J Schwitter 192, 9 M Ferrer 149, 10 S Walkinshaw 131.