Twickenham-based Mitchell Gilbert survived the toughest weekend of his driving career in China and believes it sets him up for a title challenge in next year’s Formula three Euro Series.
 

The Australian-born ADD Motorsport driver finished 18th at the Macau Grand Prix and will finish 2012 testing in Barcelona and Valencia before Christmas.
 

He finished well adrift of winner Antonio Felix da Costa, who already has experience in an F1 car this year, and Gilbert admitted his was the standard he needed to reach.
 

“I know I can do a lot better – I never really got to my maximum – but overall it was a solid performance and it has given me plenty to think about,” he said.
 

“I need to get better at adapting. Da Costa jumps from car to car and wins them all and that’s what I have to get used to.
 

“It’s shown me what I need to do to get up to that standard.  I’m going for a top five next year and I think it’s 100 per cent achievable.”