SOUTHAMPTON driver Jon Barnes collected an early 21st birthday present at Dijon on Sunday - a brace of breathtaking wins in the French rounds of the Autosport Caterham Eurocup.

The first of his victories for the Team Parker Racing team came at the expense of his arch-rival, Clive Richards, and by one of the narrowest margins seen in Caterham racing - just six-thousandths of a second.

The next, his fifth victory of the season, saw him beat Luc Paillard to the line by half a second.

Now, with only the Brands Hatch Caterham Festival rounds remaining on October 9 and 10, Barnes holds a ten-point advantage over Richards, the only driver who can still deprive him of the R400 class championship title.

In a weekend which provided many notable performances, Caterham racing history was made by Rachel Green, who became the first woman to take pole position in qualifying at the wheel of an R400.

Barnes found himself languishing sixth on the grid but made short work of those in front to latch on to leader Richards's tail on the opening lap.

The race never looked likely to go the way of anyone but Barnes or Richards, who edged past Barnes on the last lap only to come across back-markers.

Barnes said: "We both got caught up with the slower cars and I managed to get a better tow up the finish straight and edge in front."

His Premier Road and Track Events-backed car was just an inch or two ahead as they crossed the line.

The two drivers were at it hammer and tongs again in race two, but this time were joined in battle for the lead by three other cars and, by mid-distance Barnes had been pushed back to fifth.

He explained: "I started to notice the water temperature gauge creeping up, and I knew that if I didn't get out of the traffic that it would kill the engine."

Within a handful of laps, the young West End driver was back in front and went on to take the flag half a second ahead of Paillard, who achieved his best finish in an R400.

At the top of the R400 class, Barnes - who has yet to finish outside the top three in a Eurocup race - has strengthened his title bid immeasurably. One second place at the Brands Hatch Caterham Festival will be enough to secure him the crown, even if Richards wins both races.