Will Buller led the Hitech Racing challenge in the opening race of the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series season finale at Brands Hatch.
MSA Team UK driver Will had started the race from eighth on the grid after officials stripped him of his best qualifying time for lapping too quickly when yellow flags were being displayed.
A good start allowed Will to make up a place off the line and he then went inside Daniel McKenzie into Surtees to take sixth. Despite a race long battle with Carlos Huertas ahead, Will was unable to make up further places and had to settle for sixth when the chequered flag flew.
"It was disappointing to lose my time in qualifying but I knew we could do something from seventh on the grid," he said. "I needed a good start and got one to make up two places on the first lap but then I was stuck behind Huertas. I was quicker than him but it's so difficult to pass round here that I just couldn't find a way through.
"However, the reverse grid draw has put me on the front row for race two and that gives me a good chance to fight for my first win. That has been my target all season and it would be a great way to end the year if I could take my maiden victory."
Will then suffered a disappointing run in the second race of the Cooper Tires F3 International Series season finale at Brands Hatch after being knocked into a spin on the opening lap.
The MSA Team UK driver went into the race chasing a first British F3 victory from second on the grid but his hopes of a trip to the top step of the podium were ended on the opening lap when he was tipped into a spin by pole-sitter Daniel McKenzie as Will tried to go round the outside at Druids.
That dropped him to the rear of the field and despite setting the second fastest lap of the race, Will had to settle for 17th place at the finish with overtaking being far from easy on the challenging Grand Prix layout.
"I got a really good start and having had a few podium finishes, I wanted the win," he said. "I knew I needed to get in front quickly if I was going to win the race so I went for it into turn two but Daniel didn't leave me any room and we touched.
"If I'd been fighting for the championship then I wouldn't have made the move but I really wanted to try and get the win. I managed to get back up to 17th but was stuck in traffic so I backed off to try and get clear air to go for the fastest lap. I only failed by a tenth of a second so it showed the pace in the car and I'm hoping to try and finish the season with a good result in race three."
The season finale turned out to be one of the most dramatic races of the season after being hit by rain with Will Buller emerging as one of the stars as he stormed through the field to take a podium finish.
Will started the race from seventh place, but in slippery conditions as light rain started to fall, the MSA Team UK driver stormed up to fourth on the opening lap alone - including a fine move down the inside of Adriano Buzaid into the final corner.
Although it briefly stopped, the rain soon started to get heavier as Will became embroiled in a three-way fight for second place with Oli Webb and champion Jean-Eric Verge. Both Vergne and Will got ahead of Webb on lap ten and three laps later, Will forced the champion into a mistake at Druids which saw the Frenchman slide off into the gravel.
That left Will in second place but well behind runaway leader James Calado before the pair pitted for wet tyres on lap 15. Quick work from the Hitech crew and a stunning out lap from Will saw him right on the tail of his Carlin rival as the pair battled back ahead of the drivers who had stayed on slicks, and it didn't take long for them to move back into the top two places.
Will kept Calado under pressure until a brief scare on lap 24 saw him take a trip through the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend and he was left to take the chequered flag in second, having again displayed impressive form in the challenging conditions.
"I got a good start to make up places and then I was pushing hard to get ahead of Vergne before he made his mistake," Will said. "It was a good call to come in for wet tyres and great work from the guys to make up so much time on Calado. I did my best to get ahead of him but then had the scare at Paddock. I lost the aero behind him but luckily the wet gravel helped straighten the car up and I was able to continue - I don't know how I managed to hold on!
"It's a great way to end the season and I have to thank all the guys in the team for the way they have worked hard all year. I also have to thank the MSA for the support I've had through the Team UK programme, which has helped me to get this result. I've learned a lot this season and although we've had some hard days, it's helped me to develop as a driver. I'm now fully focused on a strong year in 2011."
Team boss Ryan Sharp said he was happy to see Will take a podium in the final race of his first season in charge of the Buckingham-based team.
"For Will to go from seventh to second - and be challenging for the lead - is a great result," he said. "We've seen this season that these conditions really suit him, especially when he's on slicks on a slippery circuit, and his performance was mega. We think he might have damaged his wing on the opening lap but he went out onto the GP loop in seventh and came back in fourth, and it isn't easy to overtake around that part of the circuit.
"He pressurised Vergne into a mistake and then when he pitted, we managed to make up the time to Calado. Our stops have been good all year and Will pushed when he left the pits to fight for victory although he gave us a scare when he went through the gravel. It's great result for him to finish the year."
