Dover’s Jake Dixon climbed from ninth to fourth at the Moto2 Dutch Grand Prix - missing a podium spot by four seconds at Assen.

In what has largely been a season of frustration so far, the Aspar Team rider showed strong pace on his way to a third successive points finish following the Italian and Catalunya rounds.

His efforts leave him 14th in the championship standings on 33 points with this weekend’s German Grand Prix at Sachsenring the last before a month’s break and a return to action at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix in August.

Improving throughout the weekend until Q2 when he went just over two hundredths of a second slower than his practice time, Dixon made up a place on lap one and, by lap 15, was up to fourth.

Teammate Izan Guevara could only manage 19th at the chequered flag while Japan’s Ai Ogura won the race.

“Yesterday [after qualifying] I was pretty happy in terms of race pace; I knew that we had done a nice job,” Dixon said.

“Before the race, I have said to the team that I would be happy if we finished in the top five and, in the end, we have ended fourth. We still have a lot of work to do and I have found what we need to improve.

“Overall, it has been a good step forward from what we have been doing. This weekend has been great as a team, everyone has worked really well. I am really happy with the result.”