RIBCHESTER’S Adam Morgan claimed his first ever top 10 finish in the British Touring Car Championship on Sunday – after qualifying in an encouraging fifth place.

The 24-year-old is in his first season in the series but had a difficult start to the campaign with mechanical issues often hampering his results.

Morgan’s highest qualifying position had been 11th before the mid-summer break, but he took an impressive fifth place on the grid at Snetterton at the weekend in his Ginetta-backed Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Avensis.

The former Stonyhurst College pupil was only six tenths of a second behind pole at the Norfolk circuit but was forced to the back of the field after only one lap of the first race after spinning. Then he collided with Robb Holland, failing to finish.

In the second race he was shunted on the first lap and forced to retire again, suffering damaged suspension.

That meant he had to start the third and final race from last on the grid but he would go on to secure his best result of the year so far, gaining six places on the opening lap and eventually finishing 10th.

“It’s great to put behind us everything that happened in the first half of the season and to come out after the summer break and hit the ground running,” Morgan said.

“Fifth in qualifying was absolutely brilliant.

“The car felt great.

“It was my mistake to spin on the first lap (in the first race), so I shouldn’t have been back there in the first place.

“I got a good start and was fifth – I should have stayed there to the end.

“It just goes to show how quickly your fortunes can change.

“But I feel a lot of relief (to finish 10th). I was struggling massively with the brakes towards the end – my foot was going flat to the floor – and also the tracking wasn’t quite as good as it could have been.

“But all credit to the team, who did a brilliant job after two pretty heavy shunts.

“That one was for them.”

Morgan will return to action at Knockhill in Scotland on August 26.