► Month four with the Ginetta G40 GRDC
► James heads to the racetrack, again
► No racing this time, just instructing others
Once more to the racetrack, only this time in the passenger seat. Our G40 was pressed into service at a qualification stage for the want2race competition at Donington Park, with six novice drivers taking to the wheel in the hope of making it through to the contest’s final in October (where one will win a fully funded season in next year’s GRDC).
As a veteran of last year’s comp I’m cast as an expert, so clutching a clipboard, an intercom and tight control over my better judgement, I shared instructing duties with want2race director Ben Hyland. The brief was to assess the entrants not on outright pace but on smoothness, car control and, above all, potential. Of which they had plenty. Some were returning finalists from last year, others committed trackday regulars and some had done only indoor karting, but all were enthusiastic and, thankfully, didn’t seem hell-bent on trying to kill me. It’s an interesting sensation, experiencing Donington’s rollercoaster contours at pace with someone else at the controls. One that’s actually quite revealing, too – even from the passenger seat I was learning lessons about the G40’s abilities. I’d forgotten just how late, and hard, you can brake without locking its front tyres, and how much speed it can carry into a corner, even on its road-spec Michelins. Its limits, although very high, tend to be knife-edge; when it does let go, it doesn’t always give you much warning. Still, I only had one near-death experience down Craner Curves. I’d call that a success.
Amusingly, everyone was a picture of studied seriousness and suppressed nerves when they climbed into the car for their run, and beaming smiles when they emerged. I felt the same way at the end of the day. The car had turned out to be nearly as much fun from the left seat as from the right. The standards were high. It’s going to be a tough-fought final.
From the driving seat
+ FIA race seats ultra-supportive, actually quite comfy
+ Low weight means mega stopping power
– Penchant for lift-off oversteer
– Craner Curves even scarier when someone else is driving
Logbook: Ginetta G40 GRDC
Price: £35,940
As tested: £39,960
Miles this month: 272
Total miles: 3578
Our mpg: 28.3
Official mpg: n/a
Fuel this month: £66.73
Extra costs: £0