SIDECAR passenger Lee Watson drew on the positives after mixed fortunes at Brands Hatch.

Watson, from Rayleigh, and his Hannafin Racing team driver Ben Holland were forced to retire in the opening race on the Kent track's Indy circuit.

But the fared better in the second, going from the back for the grid to finish eighth, despite taking a one place penalty.

“We were going well in the first race and the non-finish put us on the back row for race two," said Watson.

"To finish where we did has given us encouragement for the next round.”

Watson and Holland, who lives in Portsmouth, saw their opening round race at Oulton Park last just seven minutes before the had to retire with technical problems.

They were hoping for better luck at Brands and were running a strong fourth in the opening race before they were forced to retire with a clutch problem.

That put them on the back row of the grid for the second race and they were climbing their way up the field when the safety car was deployed after a team retired in a dangerous position on Paddock Hill Bend.

After the stricken machine was removed, the race director deemed Holland and fellow Hannafin Racing driver Rupert Archer had overtaken under safety car conditions and penalised them one place each.

This meant Holland finished in eighth and Archer 12th, after a 14th place in the first race.

Watson and the team return to action at Knockhill in Scotland between June 24-26.

Holland and Watson stand 14th in the championship with eight points, with their team-mates ninth with 21.