G40 Track Experience

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Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Tuesday 29th November 2016
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I'm signed up for the 1-hour track experience in the G40 (at Silverstone), and was wondering if anyone could give some general pointers before doing so?

I'm a complete novice, and this is all new to me. My experience so far is limited to a couple of Vauxhall VXR track experiences (at Thruxton), and a few races in in Club100 (karting) over the past 18 months.

I think any tips would be useful around:

1. Those who've done this day.
2. G40-specific tips / things to be mindful of.
3. Silverstone tips
4. Anything else!

Any help would be much appreciated!

Mr Overheads

2,436 posts

175 months

Friday 2nd December 2016
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I've just finished my 1st season with Ginetta GRDC. Are you doing the drive with a view to entering yourself next season?

Which circuit are you doing at Silverstone? Full GP?

Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Saturday 3rd December 2016
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I'm not entirely sure on the circuit, but I'd imagine it'll not be the full GP circuit.

I'm purely doing this for a bit of fun, and to gain more experience. I could never afford to run in the GRDC, so this gives me the chance to properly drive a Ginetta once in my life.

Mr Overheads

2,436 posts

175 months

Monday 5th December 2016
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The G40 is fast through the corners but slow acceleration on the straights. So carrying the speed into the corners is critical. It's amazing how much speed you can carry. Get Maggots and Becketts right and it's an amazing thrill. G40 is set up to have a loose backend so it will spin but is catchable if you're ready for it.

_Leg_

2,798 posts

210 months

Wednesday 14th December 2016
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Mr Overheads said:
G40 is set up to have a loose backend so it will spin .
Only poorly set up factory cars are Dave. Once mine was set up properly by Quattro it didn't, not even at Silverstone in very heavy rain. Obviously they're rear wheel drive with no aids so they will step out if they lose traction due to the incorrect line or poor inputs, that's easily controlled and predictable, but they don't have a particularly looser rear than any other rear wheel drive car unless they've been set up incorrectly.

By the way OP, there is a way to do GRDC a good bit cheaper than the Ginetta package...

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/g...

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Pulse said:
I could never afford to run in the GRDC, so this gives me the chance to properly drive a Ginetta once in my life.
Maybe, but there are other ways of racing "affordably"

Plenty of people offer shared drives in 2 driver 40 min to 2 hour club races for a share of the costs and "hire" fee. A professional outfit will charge a reasonable sum and may include hospitality and instruction etc but others offer drives at sort of "mates rates" in things like CSCC or 750mc 2 driver races.

Another alternative is to buy your own cheaper race car, from a Ginetta G20 to a Ford Puma to an MX 5, all at about £5-6k, or something like a Posche 924 for £3-5k and race it yourself, offering out the second seat to others to enable you to share costs, with a small fee on top. That's what I do.

Not that expensive really. And the racing experience is more important than the type of car you race!

likesachange

2,630 posts

193 months

Tuesday 28th February 2017
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I too had my first track experience recently..

It was in a Ginetta G40 and the latest Mini GP at Silverstone GP with a new company called Track67.
Both were a right hoot for very different reasons. They also supplied full data logging, videos and analysis with a instructor. We got around 4 x 15-20 minute sessions with all refreshments provided.

I also found the Ginetta very light at rear and did spin it a couple of times, mainly due to my inexperience on track tbh, The instructor was crucial to me and was very patient and never put me under any pressure. I believe the Ginetta is set at factory settings as it will be doing this years series so the owner obviously needs to learn the car in its race set up.

I am already booked onto Doningtons GP circuit with Track67 on the 17th which i cant wait for.

I thoroughly enjoyed the day! Very good value and Silverstone is a bucket list track.

Hes just really setting up so still weighing what packages to offer etc and not even sure he has a website live yet but you can find him on Facebook and Youtube





Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Monday 24th April 2017
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Thanks for all of the advice. I thought I'd report back, as I've now done this.

It was a great day. Nowhere near as intensive as I thought it would be - but I guess I'm used to the intense forces of karting.

I was with the same instructor for each of my 3 sessions, and he was really good... particularly when I went in to a slide as I went in to a corner too fast!

The car was brilliant to drive. The brake setup took some getting used to, as did the lack of space in the cabin with a helmet on, but the car drove incredibly well (and incredibly loudly!).

I'd recommend it.

Wingo

298 posts

170 months

Friday 12th May 2017
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Did the experience a week or so ago. Full GP Silverstone circuit. Well organised by Ginetta, the G40 is a nice car to drive, no competition in a straight line for some of the heavy hitting machines we shared the track with, but a nice responsive drive nonetheless.

I didn't know the circuit very well at all having convinced myself beforehand that we wouldn't be using the full GP track.

Good instruction and well looked after by the Ginetta Team.

I'd do it again but maybe on a track I knew better, might even be tempted by a G40 at some time in the future as a multipurpose car. Would certainly we just as much fun as some of the tyre and brake eating cars I've used in the past.

Wingo



Pulse

Original Poster:

10,922 posts

217 months

Friday 12th May 2017
quotequote all
Wingo said:
Did the experience a week or so ago. Full GP Silverstone circuit. Well organised by Ginetta, the G40 is a nice car to drive, no competition in a straight line for some of the heavy hitting machines we shared the track with, but a nice responsive drive nonetheless.

I didn't know the circuit very well at all having convinced myself beforehand that we wouldn't be using the full GP track.

Good instruction and well looked after by the Ginetta Team.

I'd do it again but maybe on a track I knew better, might even be tempted by a G40 at some time in the future as a multipurpose car. Would certainly we just as much fun as some of the tyre and brake eating cars I've used in the past.

Wingo
That's essentially what I found... It was hard to learn when you're trying to learn both the track and the car. I think I'd enjoy it even more if I had my own track car, and frequented a few circuits to learn them far better. Took me until my third session in the Ginetta to start learning the track, and even then I was making significant mistakes.