Cumbrian teams were in action on four wheels and two this weekend.

Cockermouth’s M-Sport Ford World Rally Team competing on home soil as the FIA World Rally Championship ventured to Wales Rally GB, and Penrith’s Be Wiser Ducati team in action at the penultimate round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donnington Park.

With home heroes Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin back behind the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC, hopes of a strong result were rightly high with the Brits having the speed to challenge for the win.

But those hopes were dashed on Friday morning when the Welshman and his Carlisle-born co-driver picked up a puncture – costing them 43.3 seconds to the leading pack.

Seven fastest stage times later, they finished just 48.6 seconds adrift of the win – proving that they had the ability to challenge for the top positions.

Despite their weekend not going to plan, the team remained upbeat – coming out on top in their final-day battle for fifth place and knowing that they have the speed to challenge for the top results when the championship travels to the final two rounds of the season.

“We might not have secured the result we wanted this weekend.

“But I think we can all take a lot of encouragement from Elfyn and Scott’s performance,” confirmed team principal Richard Millener.

“Despite this weekend’s frustrations, there is still a lot of positivity in the team and we’ll look to take that forward to Spain and Australia.”

But while M-Sport was left ruing what might have been, the Be Wiser Ducati Team were celebrating more success at Donington Park with another double victory for rider Scott Redding.

Having taken pole position with the factory-supported Be Wiser Ducati Panigale V4 R for the fifth time this season, Redding powered to his tenth and 11th wins of the year - making him unbeaten in the title-deciding Showdown to lead the series by 28 points going into the final round.

Team-mate and title rival Josh Brookes maintained his challenge with a double podium but despite his second and third place finishes, the Australian lost vital ground his team mate.

“It’s was a great day for the team with both race wins and a one-two in the second race,” said team co-ordinator Johnny Mowatt.

“Scott delivered two superb performances and with four wins from four starts in the Showdown, it’s clear he’s on top form at the moment and will take some stopping.

“He’s all too aware though that it isn’t over yet and, as a team, we know anything can still happen.

“Josh had two slightly tougher races and had to work hard in each to get onto the podium, but he achieved it on both occasions.”

Elsewhere, Jonny Edgar was back in action as the Italian F4 Championship headed to Mugello - picking up a podium in the first of the weekend’s three races and battling hard to score points in the following two.

“The third place in the first race was good, and I enjoyed that,” said the 15-year-old.

“The first race was different with it being wet and there were different lines and more overtaking possibilities.

“But it was strange that I seemed to struggle for grip when it was warmer and we’re not sure why.”

Another youngster in action last weekend, Frank Bird bounced back in the Formula Renault Eurocup Championship with a points scoring finish at Hockenheim.

The Penrith-born driver battled through the field to claim a ninth-place finish in the first dry race, before spinning out of contention in wet conditions during the second.

“It wasn’t a bad weekend and in the first race I showed decent pace - coming through the pack and having a really good battle with my team-mates to finish ninth.”