JERSEY driver James Walker grabbed his first Formula 3 win at the Nurburgring, Germany yesterday.

Walker stormed from sixth place to snatch the lead on the first lap and then controlled the race to take the chequered flag at the home of the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

A mistake in qualifying cost him a probable third place on the starting grid, but Walker made another of his trademark flying starts to be fourth by the first corner and was second, behind team-mate Mike Conway, by the next.

He immediately challenged for the lead and was in front by the end of lap one.

Conway and new British International Formula 3 champion Alvaro Parente put him under pressure for the next couple of laps, but Walker fought them off and then began to pull away, opening up a gap of around two seconds.

He then controlled the race to the finish like a veteran – remarkable because this was Walker’s first experience of leading a race in his short career.

To underline his superiority, his best lap was 0.2 seconds faster than any of his rivals, despite backing off once he had opened a gap.

‘It was a very different experience to have a clear track ahead,’ said Walker.

‘Although I had to drive very hard at first to stay in the lead, it was easier to concentrate on not making mistakes than when you have cars ahead of you.

When I pulled clear I found I could control the situation quite comfortably, and I didn’t make any mistakes.

‘I’ve had so much bad luck this year it’s a relief to be able to show what I can do.

I learned a lot during that race, and now I want to get more podiums and hopefully wins under my belt in the remaining four races this season.’ But in the second race of the weekend Walker’s bad luck returned.

After qualifying seventh he was running in the same position and catching the sixth-placed driver when the car came to a halt with fuel problems.

The next rounds of the championship are at Mondello Park near Dublin on 17 and 18 September.