James Sarjeant has apologised to the fans and promoters of Workington Comets after admitting he "lost the plot" during Saturday's meeting against Edinburgh.

Sarjeant has failed to replicate his Ipswich form at Derwent Park since replacing Adam Roynon mid-season and his performances have attracted criticism from sections of Comets' support.

The Yorkshire-born racer's frustration came to a head on Saturday when he removed his helmet and showed his middle finger while passing the grandstand, before throwing his race jacket down as he entered the pits.

But in a statement released on his Facebook page, Sarjeant said he was "devastated" by the way the season had turned out.

He said: “I would like to apologise to the real Workington fans and the management for my behaviour last Saturday, the frustration is really beginning to get to me that I just can’t score big points like I know I can.

“I lost the plot last week and it’s just because I am passionate about this sport and trying to progress.

"It’s so hard when everything you try goes wrong.”

Despite his outburst, Sarjeant denied he has turned in poor performances on purpose, reminding fans that not scoring means he is running at a loss.

Fans have been angered by the 23-year-old's ability to score decent points on other tracks and while guesting for Comets' rivals, but he said it was simply a case of finding the Derwent Park track difficult to adapt to.

And although he was surprised by the stick he has received from some fans, Sarjeant vowed to put everything into turning his form around in the remaining meetings.

He said: “I’ve tried everything to get it sorted but the harder I try, the worse it seems to get.

"I’m gutted that I’ve not been able to prove myself to the fans or management.

“I will always hold my hands up and admit when I’ve not performed, I am doing that right now.

"But to be verbally abused at the stadium and on social media is really hard to stomach.

“I think my frustration with my form is really starting to show and I’ve got to contain that and concentrate on getting my scoring right for Workington."