- 100
As a newer GT4 player I'm still working towards my first goal - to get 25% and open the endurances. The beginner hall is complete and some good progress has been made in the Pro and Special Conditions halls too. This has netted me a few cars that don't appeal at first glance but can really show promise if you take the time to look a bit harder. Step forward, Ginetta G4 '64.
After looking at the lineup for the British Lightweights and finding a Ginetta G4 '64, Lotus Elan S1 '62, Mini Marcos GT '70 and Triumph Spitfire 1500 '74, the 5th entry looks out of place - a Lotus Elise '00. I ignore advice to get the excellently handling Elise and run the Ginetta instead - it's time for a new old challenge.
Autumn Ring - 90pts
-------------------
The first race meeting gives me a bit of a shock. The car is light, very light, and very flighty. The back end is waiting for every change to come around. At speed the slightest change of direction makes the car feel like it's trying to swap ends, ever so gently. A touch of the kerbs sees that corner of the car heading skywards, unsettling the plot into the most lurid slides.
A combination of this handling and my desire to win means I'm pushing too hard, spin and then lose every race. The chicanes and the rights after the 240 left are too much. Time to tinker...
Not being one to just throw money at the engine I go for drivetrain and tyres. Opting for the Sports Soft, triple clutch and Racing Flywheel sees the car much improved. The acceleration is just enough to keep on a par with the competition. It still has a wayward backend when pushed, but it's much more predictable. What was a spin before has become a predictable (and recoverable) drift. What was a drift has become steady progress. Some more track time and we see the G4 take the win, the money and 90 A-Spec points.
Apricot Hill (Part 1) - 93pts
-----------------------------
Fresh from the success at Autumn Ring, the Series moves to Apricot Hill. The track is run in reverse, a layout I've never been a fan of. My literal blind spot is the blind entry into the sweeping curves before the long start/finish straight. The low seating position of the G4 won't help, and I start the race with some apprehension.
Getting a good start sees me in third place at the first corner, but despite accelerating hard all through it the other G4 and the Elise are pulling away. After the tight chicane they hare off for the hairpin and by the end of the long mid-lap straight they're practically out of sight. I'm ragged, and not impressing anyone. At the end of a very frustrating two laps I limp home in sixth after losing my bottle on the entry to the sweeping curves, braking and running very wide into the gravel. I resolve to battle this one another day.
Special Stage Route 5 - 90pts
----------------------------
Time to regroup after the total defeat at Apricot Hill. SSR5 is an old favourite. The track has a great rhythm and it's time to see if I can make the Ginetta sing it's tune. Still with the same drive train and tyre mods I take to the track.
As in Autumn Ring, the race is by no means easy. The first run sees me finish 4th - a spin at the end of the second lap gave 3rd place away. I was lucky to recover so quickly else it could very easily have been dead last. Another try sees me run a much more fluid race. Passing 5th place exiting the tunnel, 4th falls entering turn 3, and 3rd just as we enter the short straight to the hairpin. I chase second all the way to the start/finish, and fly past, very late on the brakes, as we enter the tunnel for the second time. A bit too late however, and I've got to slow things right down in the tunnel to prevent getting a closeup on the outside wall! The saving grace of this mistake was that the exit was fast, speeding me after 1st place. I catch the leading Ginetta approaching the hairpin and decide to pass as we get on the start/finish straight.
Biding my time, I trace the leader's line, dodge from mirror to mirror, trying to force that error. He's one cool customer and despite my antics he never makes it. I pull my manoeuvre and clinch the lead as we power for the line. I've miscalculated though, and he storms past to win by 0.440 seconds thanks to some excellent slipstreaming on his part, and poor defence on mine.
Before the engines can cool I challenge the field to a final run. We head out once more and I know my task - pass the lead G4 at or before the hairpin on the second lap. I give it everything I've got - tight lines become solid drifts as I push as hard as I dare. Scything through the field I catch the leader on the second lap in the complex before the hairpin approach. He takes a bad line pushing him wide for both corners. Drifting slightly into the first and taking an almost straight line through the second I slice past, almost taking the nose off my wayward opponent. The extra adrenaline I'm feeling is put to use and I fire the Ginetta through the last few corners, keeping it as smooth as I can. I power out onto the home straight, the chaser a mere dot in my mirror! Or is it? No! He's catching, and fast! I cross the line with the other G4 some 0.024 seconds behind. Immediately after taking the chequered flag I'm rammed hard from behind as he makes no effort to pass. Sore loser? I'm a sore winner after that impact! I hope he doesn't bear a grudge when we return to Apricot Hill.
Apricot Hill (Part 2) - 73pts
-----------------------------
After the excitement of the previous races I'm back at Apricot Hill. A couple of runs again show me that my track knowledge or skill appears to be insufficient to win. I can't keep up with the Lotus and the other G4, losing at least 6 seconds per lap. Time for a few more mods go on the car. Sports Soft tyres, carbon prop, racing flywheel and a bit of N2O. Before you jump in, I chose the NOS as the engine mods seemed a bit too much, and keeping it on standard settings gives a small power increase. In the next race the car was a good bit faster, and by using about a quarter of the gas I managed to clinch 1st in a pretty hollow-feeling victory (hence the brief writeup). I've had a few goes since with the mods scaled back, but the G4 and the Elise both rocket off and tussle together, seemingly urging each other on. One to return to.
Authors Note
------------
In short, I loved the G4 once I'd made it competitive. The short sprint races in the BLS are fun, and I especially loved the Special Stage Route 5 round. I raced this series all the way through without making any notes. After I'd decided to write it up I went back to check the performance with only the first mods I did. Here I found that although I had bought the Sports Soft I never actually fitted them!
After looking at the lineup for the British Lightweights and finding a Ginetta G4 '64, Lotus Elan S1 '62, Mini Marcos GT '70 and Triumph Spitfire 1500 '74, the 5th entry looks out of place - a Lotus Elise '00. I ignore advice to get the excellently handling Elise and run the Ginetta instead - it's time for a new old challenge.
Autumn Ring - 90pts
-------------------
The first race meeting gives me a bit of a shock. The car is light, very light, and very flighty. The back end is waiting for every change to come around. At speed the slightest change of direction makes the car feel like it's trying to swap ends, ever so gently. A touch of the kerbs sees that corner of the car heading skywards, unsettling the plot into the most lurid slides.
A combination of this handling and my desire to win means I'm pushing too hard, spin and then lose every race. The chicanes and the rights after the 240 left are too much. Time to tinker...
Not being one to just throw money at the engine I go for drivetrain and tyres. Opting for the Sports Soft, triple clutch and Racing Flywheel sees the car much improved. The acceleration is just enough to keep on a par with the competition. It still has a wayward backend when pushed, but it's much more predictable. What was a spin before has become a predictable (and recoverable) drift. What was a drift has become steady progress. Some more track time and we see the G4 take the win, the money and 90 A-Spec points.
Apricot Hill (Part 1) - 93pts
-----------------------------
Fresh from the success at Autumn Ring, the Series moves to Apricot Hill. The track is run in reverse, a layout I've never been a fan of. My literal blind spot is the blind entry into the sweeping curves before the long start/finish straight. The low seating position of the G4 won't help, and I start the race with some apprehension.
Getting a good start sees me in third place at the first corner, but despite accelerating hard all through it the other G4 and the Elise are pulling away. After the tight chicane they hare off for the hairpin and by the end of the long mid-lap straight they're practically out of sight. I'm ragged, and not impressing anyone. At the end of a very frustrating two laps I limp home in sixth after losing my bottle on the entry to the sweeping curves, braking and running very wide into the gravel. I resolve to battle this one another day.
Special Stage Route 5 - 90pts
----------------------------
Time to regroup after the total defeat at Apricot Hill. SSR5 is an old favourite. The track has a great rhythm and it's time to see if I can make the Ginetta sing it's tune. Still with the same drive train and tyre mods I take to the track.
As in Autumn Ring, the race is by no means easy. The first run sees me finish 4th - a spin at the end of the second lap gave 3rd place away. I was lucky to recover so quickly else it could very easily have been dead last. Another try sees me run a much more fluid race. Passing 5th place exiting the tunnel, 4th falls entering turn 3, and 3rd just as we enter the short straight to the hairpin. I chase second all the way to the start/finish, and fly past, very late on the brakes, as we enter the tunnel for the second time. A bit too late however, and I've got to slow things right down in the tunnel to prevent getting a closeup on the outside wall! The saving grace of this mistake was that the exit was fast, speeding me after 1st place. I catch the leading Ginetta approaching the hairpin and decide to pass as we get on the start/finish straight.
Biding my time, I trace the leader's line, dodge from mirror to mirror, trying to force that error. He's one cool customer and despite my antics he never makes it. I pull my manoeuvre and clinch the lead as we power for the line. I've miscalculated though, and he storms past to win by 0.440 seconds thanks to some excellent slipstreaming on his part, and poor defence on mine.
Before the engines can cool I challenge the field to a final run. We head out once more and I know my task - pass the lead G4 at or before the hairpin on the second lap. I give it everything I've got - tight lines become solid drifts as I push as hard as I dare. Scything through the field I catch the leader on the second lap in the complex before the hairpin approach. He takes a bad line pushing him wide for both corners. Drifting slightly into the first and taking an almost straight line through the second I slice past, almost taking the nose off my wayward opponent. The extra adrenaline I'm feeling is put to use and I fire the Ginetta through the last few corners, keeping it as smooth as I can. I power out onto the home straight, the chaser a mere dot in my mirror! Or is it? No! He's catching, and fast! I cross the line with the other G4 some 0.024 seconds behind. Immediately after taking the chequered flag I'm rammed hard from behind as he makes no effort to pass. Sore loser? I'm a sore winner after that impact! I hope he doesn't bear a grudge when we return to Apricot Hill.
Apricot Hill (Part 2) - 73pts
-----------------------------
After the excitement of the previous races I'm back at Apricot Hill. A couple of runs again show me that my track knowledge or skill appears to be insufficient to win. I can't keep up with the Lotus and the other G4, losing at least 6 seconds per lap. Time for a few more mods go on the car. Sports Soft tyres, carbon prop, racing flywheel and a bit of N2O. Before you jump in, I chose the NOS as the engine mods seemed a bit too much, and keeping it on standard settings gives a small power increase. In the next race the car was a good bit faster, and by using about a quarter of the gas I managed to clinch 1st in a pretty hollow-feeling victory (hence the brief writeup). I've had a few goes since with the mods scaled back, but the G4 and the Elise both rocket off and tussle together, seemingly urging each other on. One to return to.
Authors Note
------------
In short, I loved the G4 once I'd made it competitive. The short sprint races in the BLS are fun, and I especially loved the Special Stage Route 5 round. I raced this series all the way through without making any notes. After I'd decided to write it up I went back to check the performance with only the first mods I did. Here I found that although I had bought the Sports Soft I never actually fitted them!
