ABINGDON racer Nick Phillips enjoyed his most competitive outing to date in the Cosworth Caterham Masters at the Monza circuit in Italy.

The 50-year-old motorsport journalist, who was sharing his 260 horsepower Cosworth CSR with his friend Nigel Bent (Tunbridge Wells), led Saturday's round of the championship for a spell and the team looked set for a podium finish in the late stages, when Bent was at the wheel. But mechanical problems hobbled the car's pace and Bent fell to sixth at the chequered flag. The duo went on to take tenth in Sunday's race.

Both Monza races were won by the Hyperion/Acre Jean pairing of Nathan Bell (Chippenham) and Rob Jenkinson (Northampton), their car less than a tenth of a second in front in each.

Saturday's race saw them beat their title rivals Clive Richards (Horsham) and Richard Hay (Droitwich) into second, and on Sunday they were a whisker in front of Ed Morris (Maidstone).

With only the French rounds, at Pau on October 14/15, remaining, Richards and Hay lead the championship overall by just 16 points.