ALEX LYNN won the Formula Renault UK Winter Cup after keeping his composure during a hectic weekend at the Pembrey circuit in South Wales.

The 17-year-old from Dunmow played a savvy game throughout the weekend; winning the second race on Saturday and picking up vital points in the others to emerge top of an ultra-competitive series.

Lynn’s major title rivals going into the weekend were Ollie Millroy, already winner of a UK championship race during the 2010 season, Josh Hill, son of Damon, Red Bull-backed Russian Daniil Kvyat, McLaren prot�g� Oliver Rowland and Robert Foster-Jones, another winner in FRUK this year.

But it was Alex’s new Fortec team-mate Joni Wiman from Finland who proved to be the major thorn in his side.

After an unlucky seventh position in the first race, Lynn put things right in the second of the weekend.

“I didn’t make a great start but I was able to start hustling [Jack] Hawksworth for the lead for the first half of the race. I pressured him into a mistake at the last corner. and then I lunged him into the hairpin.” From there, Lynn overtook and pulled away to a comfortable victory.

Sunday proved to be another hugely successful day for Lynn; with conditions less than favourable he managed to secure the points needed beat his title rivals.

Lynn started the first race from third, but got a disappointing getaway from the wetter side of the grid before being hit by Kvyat at the exit of the first corner, damaging his left-front wing. Despite the damage Lynn brought his car home in sixth.

In the second race of the day Lynn started in pole position for the first time in his car-racing career on a wet track.

“It was only people who were a long way down the grid with nothing to lose who went for wet tyres,” said Lynn. “That was the quicker option early on and, because we had a couple of safety cars, that made it harder for the rest of us to warm up our slicks.” In the end Alex finished fifth; enough to win the championship.