Ollie Millroy bounced back from a dramatic first lap crash in the first of two Formula BMW Europe Championship races at Hockenheim to take ninth place in race two and finish the meeting as the top rookie.

The 18-year-old Claygate racer lined up 13th for the first race on Saturday morning, and made a superb start before disaster struck.

A fellow driver careered across the track having been tapped by another car and went straight into the side of Millroy, flipping him upside down and ending his race on the spot.

In the second race, he lined up 10th and again made a storming start to get up to sixth on the opening lap.

Despite a sudden loss of power, which ultimately cost him four places, he continued to the flag to finish ninth and as the top rookie.

The 18-year-old started the weekend in good form, impressing throughout Friday's free practice session, in which the field was the closest it's been all year.

The BMW junior development driver was 11th fastest but just three-tenths of a second would have moved him up to fifth, leaving the Claygate teenager confident ahead of qualifying.

He said: "I was very happy with the pace we had in free practice as the session was particularly close throughout. Just 10ths of a second could make the difference between 10th and fifth so I'm very happy with the way we've improved so far through the season."

However, problems finding a clear track in the crucial 25-minute qualifying session ended his chances of showing his true potential. A good run on his second set of new tyres put him 13th quickest, although the British MSA Race Elite Academy driver was disappointed as he felt he could have been in the top 10.

Millroy lined up 13th for the first race held on Saturday morning and made a superb start off the line to pass three cars as they filed into the first corner. Another determined performance by the youngster enabled him to pass another three at turn two, putting him seventh as they entered the third corner.

As they turned into the hairpin, Millroy was in the perfect position to get right on terms with the leaders when, from behind, fellow BMW scholarship driver, David Mengesdorf, was tapped by another car. This resulted in him careering across the track and into the side of Millroy, flipping him upside down and ending his race on the spot.

In the second race, he lined up tenth and again made a storming start to get up to sixth on the opening lap. On lap two he moved his way into fifth where he stayed until a fuel pump problem, most likely as a result of the accident, three laps from home hampered his charge.

Despite a loss of power, which cost him four places, Millroy continued to the flag to finish ninth and top rookie.

He said: "It was very much a mixture of emotions this weekend. In race two, I made another great start and got up to fifth until the fuel surge. We're pretty certain that was caused by the fuel pump dropping into the tank while I was upside down and possibly lodged out of place, causing the car to run out of fuel early.

"Despite that I think it was a very positive weekend as I think we showed that I now have the pace to be a front-runner and could very easily have had two top six finishes."