CONNOR Jupp's hopes of bagging victory in today's second F4 Winter Championship ended in the gravel at Brands Hatch.

Jupp drove his Mectech Motorsport car to second in the first race on the Kent track's Indy circuit.

He headed into the second race with scoring a maiden F4 win for the Billericay team but made contact with Gaetano Di Mauro at the start of the 17th lap, ending both their races.

"It was a disappointing end to the race but it was not all bad and I will take some positives from it," said the 17-year-old driver from Ongar.

"I was fast and caught up with the front two but with regard to the coming together, I won't say anything until I have seen the video.

"Things were going well for me and then the race just went away fromt me."

The grid order for the second race was decided by who posted the fastest laps in the first race, which meant Jupp started third behind polesitter Rodrigo Fonseca and Jordan Albert.

But it was Will Palmer who made the best start off the grid, going up the inside to go from fifth to third, followed by Di Mauro.

Jupp took fourth place on the second lap, overtaking Di Mauro into Paddock Hill Bend, before reclaiming third by getting by Palmer going into Graham Hill Bend a lap later.

Di Mauro also got by Palmer as Fonseca and Albert continued at the sharp end.

Jupp made up ground on the leaders as Di Mauro and Palmer battled for fourth, with the Essex teenager setting a fastest lap of 55.156 in the process.

But Palmer and Di Mauro both got by Jupp going into Clearways but as the Mectech driver put pressure on the Brazilian at Paddock Hill there was contact and the pair ended up retiring after going into the gravel.

That left Palmer to set a fastest lap of 54.770 as he went on to finish third behind winner Fonseca and Albert.

There was no apparent damage to the car and Jupp will hope to bag two points finishes in the final pair of Winter Championship races at Brands tomorrow.