Sean Walkinshaw admitted he found it tough going at a rain-sodden first round of the Blancpain Sprint Cup in Misano.

The Chipping Norton-based driver, making his debut for the Nissan GT Academy Team RJN, partnering Ricardo Sanchez, finished fourth in the Silver Cup and 24th overall in the qualification race.

And in Sunday’s race, they were fifth in the cup and 28th overall.

Walkinshaw said: “It was a very tough weekend.

“We did our best and got the best result we could considering the circumstances.

Meanwhile, his team SWR Racing hope to build on a positive start to the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship.

Thomas Maxwell, Jan Jonck and Eugene Denysson all scored in the opening round at Snetterton and head to Brands Hatch this weekend in a confident mood.

At the same track, Matt Chapman begins his Ginetta GT5 Challenge campaign.

The 16-year-old, from Oxford, lit up the time sheets in testing, but is keeping his feet on the ground.

The Total Control Racing driver said: “It’s always fantastic to be quickest.

“We do need to be realistic too though.”