Racer Jonny Edgar clinched his first podium finish in the Italian F4 Championship on an intense weekend at Imola.

Edgar, who sits 10th in the standings on 71 points after 15 of the series’ 21 races, leapt from good rookie to fierce contender as he qualified superbly, second fastest in both sessions, and finished second behind his team-mate Dennis Hauger in race one.

“It was the best weekend by far for sure,” the 15-year-old from Asby, near Frizington, said.

“The team did a great job with the car, it was really quick. And of course I am learning all the time.

“It was fast through practice so I was really enjoying it.”

“It was great to get on the podium in race one, to be running at the front all the way and get the fastest lap.”

The youngster’s inexperience saw him blow the start in race two and get pushed off the track early in race three but he rebounded with a string of great overtaking moves to finish fifth both times.

He added: “In race two I just released the clutch too fast, had to press it again as I almost stalled and dropped back to 10th.

“I passed two on the first lap and then kept working hard, so fifth wasn’t too bad considering.

“In race three the start was better but not perfect and I got pushed off at Tosa and went back to about seventh and had to overtake again.”

In the rerun of the abandoned race three from Misano, Edgar was almost starting at the back of the grid.

He came from 25th and avoided the first-lap madness before scything his way through the pack, including passing two cars in one move on the brakes into Acque Minerali.

He finally finished ninth.