CHARLIE Nesbitt can be happy with a successful weekend of racing which saw him finish in first and second place in the latest round of the Motostar Moto3 championship.

Friday morning’s practice session was a good sign when the Swindon rider took half an hour to be the first racer to post a lap time under 54 seconds.

In the first race, Nesbitt was able to open a gap immediately and continued to slash his lap times, setting a new lap record of 52.841 and claiming an 11-second victory .

Reflecting on the initial race, it was clear Nesbitt said: “I just loved everything about race one. It was perfect. The bike was fantastic and the racing was brilliant.”

Out for another qualifying session the Swindon rider was able to further reduce his lap times.

In the second race of the weekend he wasn’t so lucky, finishing as runner up due to a late call to the pit to change his tyres, forcing him to race from the back of the grid.

Despite this and unfamiliarity with the new tyres, he was soon able to climb up to ninth by the end of the lap.

By lap 15, Nesbit was up to second, passing both Jake Archer and Jorel Boerboom, leaving leader Ed Rendell in his sights, who proved just too far in front.

He said: “In race two missed the pit lane time. I knew we had the pace but I didn’t have any experience of these tyres in the wet so in the opening laps I was pretty cautious.”

He finished the weekend with a total of 44 points from a possible 50, as well as extending his overall lead over Archer by 27 points.