JOLYON Palmer was gutted to miss out on his first points as a Formula 1 driver at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The British driver, who races for Enstone-based Renault, was running tenth at the Hungaroring when he spun at turn four on lap 48.

He lost four places and eventually crossed the line 12th in a race won by Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

The 25-year-old, who qualified 17th, said: “I’m gutted as my first points in Formula 1 were there for the taking.

“The car was good and I was driving well within myself.

“I turned in the same as normal at turn four but for some reason I lost the car in a massive snap.”

His teammate Kevin Magnussen made up four places on the grid to finish 15th.

The duo will not have long to wait until the next round, with the German Grand Prix this weekend at Hockenheim.

l SEAN Walkinshaw heads to Spa this week in readiness for the biggest race of the Nissan GT Academy Team RJN squad’s season on Saturday.

As one of the greatest endurance racing challenges, the Total 24 Hours of Spa at the popular Ardennes track, boasts a huge grid for round four of the Blancpain Endurance Cup.

Chipping Norton-based Walkinshaw, who was born in Brussels, has always relished the prospect of competing at the legendary Belgian circuit.

For his second appearance in the 24 Hour race, he is aiming for a season’s best in theNissan GT-R NISMO GT3, alongside Matt Simmons, Romain Sarazin and Ricardo Sánchez.

“It’s fantastic to be going back to Spa, the 24 Hours is such an incredible event and there’s always an amazing atmosphere at the track and in the town during the build-up,” said Walkinshaw.

“Spa is one of the tracks on the calendar which should best suit the Nissan, so we’re going there looking to try and get back in the Pro-Am points.”

l DAVE Messenger continued his strong season with two podium finishes at Castle Combe in Wiltshire.

The Eynsham-based racer, qualified on pole in the Alfa Romeo Twin Spark Cup before finishing second in both races.

It leaves the Team Darnells Racing driver sixth in the championship on 68 points.

Messenger led for the majority of the first race until he was forced off the circuit by Simon Cresswell, who was running in second.

He dropped back to third, but quickly recovered to finish behind eventual winner Tom Hill.

In the second race, Messenger followed Hill across the finish line again, but was six seconds adrift.

The next round is at Brands Hatch on August 14.