ALEX Lynn returned to the track in style last weekend as he finished runner-up at the prestigious Masters of F3 event after a five-week break in the racing calendar.

In the mid-season showpiece race at Zandvoort in Holland, the 19-year-old Dunmow racer received a welcome boost heading into the business end of the year as he collected a well-earned podium finish.

The RTL GP Masters of Formula 3 event was a non-championship race of the European season but it still served to act as a starting point for Lynn and the Prema Powerteam squad to bounce back from a disappointing weekend prior to the break.

“It was nice to be on the podium, because last time out at the Red Bull Ring we had a bad weekend,” said Lynn afterwards. “Hopefully, when we get back onto our familiar tyres for the Norisring next weekend, we can have another strong performance.”

Competitive all weekend, Lynn put his Prema-run, Mercedes-powered Dallara third on the grid. He added: “We had to work quite hard on the set-up after the first free-practice session and the team did a really good job.

“Qualifying wasn’t too bad. I felt there was a little bit left and I could possibly have beaten Harry Tincknell to the front row, but there wasn’t enough to catch Felix Rosenqvist on pole.”

Having beat Tincknell off the line, the rising Dunmow star slotted into Rosenqvist’s wheeltracks but wasn’t able to prevent the Swede from notching up his second Masters of F3 victory.

Teamed with Tincknell, Lynn also brought home the Nations Cup for Great Britain to complete a very strong weekend.

The teams are now preparing for the next round of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship next weekend on the challenging Norisring street circuit.

Lynn will be looking to hunt down his team-mate Raffaele Marciello in the race for the title and a chance to test drive a Ferrari Formula One car. He currently lies in fourth place on 133.5 points – 106 adrift of the Italian.