Alex Nevill suffered a heartbreaking end to his bid for the Rookie Cup in the Mini Challenge Cooper Pro championship.

After a mechanical issue put an end to his challenge in the final round of the season at Snetterton in Norfolk.

The weekend had already started with a setback for the Kent racer qualifying last for race one after making the wrong tyre choice in a wet qualifying session.

The final blow was to come just four laps into the first race, when a driveshaft failure resulted in Nevill’s second DNF of the year. Which put the Rookie Cup beyond reach.

With nothing left to lose the 2018 Cooper Am champion was keen to finish the season well and made his way from last on the grid to fourth place in race two.

Just 0.782 of a second behind the race winner in an intense race. It was a positive end to a difficult season for Nevill.

Speaking after the weekend, Nevill said: “It was hugely disappointing to miss out on the Rookie Cup in that way, but mechanical failures are a part of racing and as a driver there’s little you can do about them.

“Race two was at least a good way to end the season and showed what we could have been capable of if it hadn’t been for our issues at the start of the weekend.

“It’s been a difficult year with a fair few setbacks, but it’s made me a stronger driver for whatever we do in 2020.

Images courtesy of Dave Young