Ayrton Simmons lost further ground to British F4 Championship leader Kiern Jewiss after a disappointing weekend at Croft, which saw him sit out race two due to a technical problem.

A trio of podium finishes for Jewiss saw him extend his lead at the top of the table to 57 points as the Championship enters its mid-season break, after Simmons could only cross the line in fifth in both race one and three.

The Epping driver couldn’t live with the likes of Jewiss as well as pole sitter Dennis Hauger in qualifying, but a set-up change after a disappointing practice session saw the 17-year-old secure fifth place on the grid for both race one and three.

A fairly quiet race for Simmons saw him finish in fifth as pole sitter Hauger took the race win, while Jewiss crossed the line in second, but the JHR Developments driver would have the perfect opportunity to bounce back in the second round of the weekend as he started on the front row.

But the 17-year-old was dealt a huge blow as a technical problem ruled him out of the race before it had even started and the Epping driver frustratingly had to watch on as Jewiss gained further ground by securing victory.

Simmons’ problem was resolved by the final round of the weekend but the Epping racer was unable to make any headway from fifth place on the grid, meaning Jewiss extended his lead to 57 points after a second place finish.

The Epping racer will be hoping for better fortunes when the British F4 Championship returns to action at Snetterton on July 28 and July 29.