33x04 - Episode 4

[bunniefuu]

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Hello. Welcome to Top Gear,

where tonight
we're mixing it up.

We're going to do the show
a little bit differently.

It's in 3D. Raargh!

No, I'm only joking.
Fred, take it away.

Because we're not kicking
off with him skidding around

in a shiny supercar.

Or trying to k*ll Fred in
new and inventive ways.

No, we're kicking off
with a question - what if?

What if we could actually make a
genuine difference to a few lives,

give a bit back?

So we're kicking off
with a little experiment.

In the world of motorsports, life
at the top is fast, glamorous

and very exclusive.

No matter how talented you might
be, the simple truth is that,

without the right connections
and a whole heap of cash,

it's nigh on
impossible to crack.

So here's the experiment.

What would happen if we
developed our very own race team,

a race team of young
drivers and mechanics,

who haven't got the connections
and who haven't got the cash,

and dropped them right
in at the deep end?

That deep end looks like this -

contesting a round of the
prestigious GT Cup race series...

..at Donington Park.

800 hopefuls applied

and, from them, we selected 13
of the brightest young talents

in the UK...

..and set up a test day to
see what they were made of.

Today means a lot to me because
it's given me an opportunity

that I didn't think
I'd ever have.

I'm meeting a lot of people,
learning a lot from other people.

I started racing when
I was an 11-year-old.

I've been driving
since I was three.

I'm here for a bit of mechanics
today, working on the MX-5 here,

do a bit of bolt and grease.

The Top Gear race team needs
two mechanics and two drivers.

So, to help choose them
and then train them up,

I called in professional
race team Paddock Motorsport.

Well, today we're looking for a
diamond in the rough, basically.

We're not looking for
a finished article.

We just want somebody who's
good at taking instruction

and is very mouldable.

These guys are going to come
in with experience from other

disciplines, so it's very
important that we can understand

how to take that forward.

Louis, take your time with the
gears, buddy. Don't rush it.

All right, mate. If you want to
crack into it. The tools are here.

A good mechanic needs a very
good attention to detail,

basically for fault-finding,

anything that's
happened on the circuit.

I love being a mechanic
because you spend so much time

and energy working on this one
thing to get that little bit faster.

The youngsters are
a talented bunch,

one that knows all too well
that skill alone isn't enough

to get to the top.

I haven't got loads of money
just to chuck at a car.

I'd say money plays a
big part in it, yeah,

Money and opportunity,
definitely.

With so much to play for,

Paddock Motorsport can only choose
those that show the most potential.

And, once the dust
settles, we have our four.

In the garage, mechanics
Lillie and Callum.

Out on track, drivers
Louis and Ollie.

With the race team assembled,
now it was time to train them.

Boot camp starts just
a few days later,

at Pembrey racetrack
in Carmarthenshire...

..where Louis is straight out on
track with driving coach Michael.

Open that up wider.

Good lad.

Not messing around, is
he? No, going for it.

Back in his hometown of Croydon,

our first young driver's racing
career has so far played out

at the local rental
karting centre.

At the moment, I'm working at
Gatwick Airport as a ramp agent,

where we handle
people's suitcases.

It's usually me saving
up my weekly pay

and just putting it
aside for go-karting.

Louis has the raw potential,

but this experiment
will be a big test.

When I got the phone call
saying I'm in the team,

I was just so over the moon.

Just got to make the most of it.

Mate, really good.
Really good. Good lad.

Feeling all right? Yeah, good.

Totally different to karting.

It might be new territory for Louis,
but the Paddock race engineers

reveal he's already
had a promising start.

Yeah. On your last
lap there, Louis,

you were... You got yourself to
within five seconds of Martin.

Wow.

Can you just slow it down a
little bit, like, this...?!

It's a good start, guys.

In the garage, meanwhile,
mechanics Lillie and Callum

are already well into their
engineering crash course

on Paddock's second
race-spec MX-5.

These coils commonly
fail due to the heat.

That's why after every
session we take them out.

Two kids coming in as apprentices
will not even get within touching

distance of a car on a team for
the first three or even four years.

So the guys out there driving,

you can actually be in a
car driving one quicker

than you can be a mechanic
out here in the pit lane.

Absolutely. I mean, the
biggest thing to remember

is the responsibility.

One mistake, one missed
bolt - it's someone's life.

That's totally shocked me,

the three or four-year thing.

I never realised that, myself.

Our young mechanics are
definitely in at the deep end

but Cornwall-based Lillie
and Lincolnshire lad Callum

have both grown up with
that mechanical mind-set

that might just help them swim.

Excellent stuff.

I like living in my
lorry because it's quiet.

No-one's around and I can
do whatever I want, really,

be in the shed on the
cars till whatever time.

Recently bought a couple of
bangers, got to strip them

and then build them
ready for racing.

First of all, before
she'd done the mechanics,

she used to do show jumping.

She came back from a show and said,
"I don't want to do this any more.

"I want to do bangers."

Started at 11 doing
banger racing.

Pretty much smash everyone else

up and hope you don't
hurt yourself, really!

Every time we'd
blow up an engine,

me and my brother would
change engines together.

I love being a mechanic because
you find a problem, you fix it,

you get dirty and
it's satisfying.

At 16, I started here as
a HGV mechanic apprentice.

Morning, Kev. Morning!

I worked in the garage
with my dad and his friend.

It was brilliant. It's
a good atmosphere.

After school, I went to college
and got an apprenticeship.

I did two years in
a Land Rover garage.

It seems to come easy.

If you kind of think about it
logically, it all clicks together.

Just something I really enjoy.

Back out on track,

driver Ollie's training with
Michael is now also well under way.

Close the car in.
Cross those arms.

And back home, in
North Yorkshire,

this is a young man who spends every
spare minute in or around race cars.

I've never really
been an academic lad.

I'd much rather spend my evenings
in the garage with my dad,

tinkering with the cars.

Ollie, his dad, mum and brother
all compete on the dirt oval tracks

of National Autograss racing.

And, to help pay his way, Ollie
works full-time building generators.

The money that goes into
the car comes in your pocket

and goes out the next minute.

What else would you want to
spend your money on at 19?

Not many nights out are
allowed, but yeah, it's good.

There's lots of other
sacrifices as well.

It's like we don't
do foreign holidays.

Our holidays are spent in a camper
van, racing Saturday and Sunday,

back home and back to work

to earn some more pennies to
do it all again next week.

A former junior
and open champion,

Ollie has plenty
of race experience.

Down to quarter to three

and cross your arms, if
you need a bit more lock.

But the move from dirt to tarmac
is not to be underestimated.

What was he saying
about feeding the wheel?

Was that a habit
from grass-tracking?

Basically, because we
only go around an oval,

I don't cross my arms.

I've never crossed my arms because
that's quite slow in our sport.

The reason he's saying that is,
if you keep your hands there,

you know which way the steering
wheel is pointing. Yeah.

So, if ever you get out of
shape, you know, you just point

and that's kind of
where you're pointing.

To get you out of trouble. Yeah.

It's been an intensive
first day for the team,

but then, with the challenge
that lies ahead of them,

it needed to be.

Seven weeks' time,

they're going to be on track
with professional drivers. Yeah.

When you tell me things like
that and I think about it,

I get very anxious.

Seven weeks, seven weeks!

It's not a lot of time,
is it? It's a tall order.

By doing something like this,
we're giving them a chance to sort

of fulfil their dreams, but
also to show their talents.

For me, personally, it's a real
passion project because it's nice

to be in a position to
give them that chance now

and to watch them grow.

The dream for me in doing the film
like this is someone notices them.

While the mechanics spend the next
week getting stuck in at Paddock HQ,

driver coaching steps up a gear.

Louis and Ollie have been studying
hard to get their race licences.

Your chariot awaits, sir.

And now, out on track,

it's their first ever go on
a live circuit in the MX-5.

My only concern for
them today would be

if the nerves got
the better of them.

Fast cars coming up
and overtaking them...

OK. Stay on your line,
buddy. Stay on your line.

Michael takes each driver
out on track for tuition.

But, in busy traffic,
mistakes are made.

Get the line right, mate, before
we try and carry the speed.

You're trying to carry
the speed too soon.

Let it flow. Let it come to you.

All too soon,

the team will be back at
Donington for the GT Cup.

There's no choice but to dust
off and keep pushing forward.

Training reaches
the halfway point

and the team are at Cadwell
Park in Lincolnshire.

The Paddock experts need to
see how they're shaping up

by giving them their first race
together in the Mazda SuperCup.

Cadwell couldn't be a more
difficult place to bring two newbies

for their first ever race weekend
in a car they're unfamiliar with.

It's tight, it's narrow, it's
undulating, it's unsighted.

Mazda weekends, you never know
what can get thrown at you,

so anything can happen.

The team has been practising at
Cadwell for a couple of days.

And the challenging circuit hasn't
just been a test for the drivers.

First practice, he
broke his gearbox,

so came back in
and changed that.

He went out again and
then went in the wall

and bent his steering rack,
so we had to change that.

Gearbox weren't too bad. The
steering rack's just fiddly.

Cos the radiator's in the way.

All the belts and everything.

Don't break the car. We
haven't got any more.

Yeah, try not to.

But, as the more relaxed practice
sessions end, the mood shifts.

The focus is now on the team's
first ever competitive race.

It ain't right. Oh, BLEEP
this all. No need, is there?

All right, buddy,
you ready? Yeah.

Forget about yesterday. Yeah.

Focus on today, all
right? All right.

You'll be fine. Good luck.

All the best. Thank you.

Louis and Ollie join a 27-car grid,
one that's split into two classes.

Pros starting towards the front
and the amateur club class

that the boys have
qualified in the middle of

makes up the back of the field.

I'm nervous. I just started
getting a little bit of butterflies

in the stomach for them.

Five-second...

Come on.

Lights on.

And we're off. Go!

Go, my boys!

Whoa! Whoo!

The first corner, here we go.

Got to watch this.

They're round. They're OK.

I've driven round here.

It's a tricky circuit.

It is. There's no
room for error.

He's done him. He's gone
back in front, yeah.

Good lad, Louis.

First overtake. Come on, man.

Louis is chasing Ollie down now.

He's trying, he's trying!

Louis now has got to be careful
because he's trying to attack Ollie

but he's also going to get under
pressure from the car behind.

Ah, they've muscled him out.

Yeah, and he's lost
two spots there.

Oh, no, no.

That's the inexperience,
though, you know.

Ugh!

The boys are training to be
a two-driver team, though.

And up the field, Ollie is
going from strength to strength.

Ollie is running two
seconds a lap quicker than

the cars in front of him, so he's
gaining on that pack. Fantastic.

Go on, Ollie! Go on,
Ollie! Go on, son!

They're out there, they're racing,
they're mixing it up with people

who've been doing
this for years. Yep.

Chequered flag.

Yeah, well done, Ollie!

With neither driver having raced
on a tarmac circuit before,

it's a solid debut.

Ollie crossing the
line sixth in class...

Go on, Louis!

..and Louis coming in eighth.

Well done!

Heart rate was going for a bit.

No, it was good.

Got your first race
start under the belt,

you've been overtaking people,
you've been getting stuck in.

I can tell you're not happy.

But I'm happy that
you're not happy,

because if you were happy
then there's something wrong.

If you've got that driver
mentality, you always want more.

You can come in and win the race
and you'll be wanting more. Yeah.

So tomorrow, we go again.

Well done, boys. Well
done, well done, well done.

Literally, I just want to go
out right now and just race,

to get all my frustration out.

There's no time to
dwell on mistakes,

training for the
drivers is constant.

Every time they get behind
the wheel, it's followed up

by a full analysis of the drive
with the Paddock coaching team.

I think where you were getting
a little bit frustrated,

where you had your
bit of a moment,

I think there, was just
trying to go just too deep.

Going through the
data has been amazing.

Giving me them tips,
just where I can find

that last few tenth of a second
to improve my overall lap.

I know what to do for
my races tomorrow.

So, hopefully, I have no problems
and it'll be a good race.

With the two races left to run
that weekend, the next morning,

Louis and Ollie set out to
put the theory into practice.

There goes Oliver Hall up the
inside, that was a late move.

Can he hold the inside line?

He's later on the brakes
and he will slip through.

Proving a very spectacular
driver to watch, is Oliver.

The first race gets
under way well,

with Ollie maintaining
his impressive form.

Oliver Hall, very
quick reactions there.

As the race progresses, though,
the real star student is Louis.

And Louis Smithen has got himself
ahead of Oliver Hall, look.

Really coming on strong in
the second half of the race.

After a hard-fought
battle to the line...

Oh, big contact!

And that's Oliver Hall involved.

..Ollie hangs on to
finish fourth in class.

And with Louis a place ahead of him,
Team Top Gear has its first podium.

Well done, Louis. Come on, lad.
Get in there! Well done. Thank you.

Good stuff.

It's a huge boost for the team.

And Louis isn't done yet.

The lights go out,
we're away and racing.

In the last battle of the weekend,
a mistake from Ollie sees him

playing catch-up from the off.

But Louis is in the zone.

Turning all that data,

the analysis and the coaching
into a clean race to the finish.

A really impressive end to
his MX-5 SuperCup debut.

The second podium of the
weekend, Louis Smithen!

It's an incredible result
for the Croydon karter.

While, for team-mate Ollie,
Cadwell has given him

another important lesson about
the roller-coaster of racing.

Yeah, I'm devastated.

Missed second gear
out of the start.

Let the pressure
get to me, maybe.

For the whole team,

this first race meeting has
been a massive step forward.

To keep the momentum going, a few
days later, I organise an outing.

The aim is to give the team
the inspiration they'll need to

push on as the
stakes get higher.

The place is the home of
the McLaren Formula 1 team.

Is that Senna's car? Yeah.

This is one of the most
successful cars in race history.

For more than six decades,

McLaren has been a leader
in world motorsport.

James Hunt, Niki
Lauda, Senna, Hamilton,

all raced and won with McLaren.

If you want to be the best,
you've got to learn from

the absolute best, so I've got a
special guest for you to meet today.

Current McLaren F1 driver
and all-round superstar,

Lando Norris.

Oh, my gosh. Here he is!

Good morning.

We've got Callum,
Lando. Nice to meet you.

Lillie. Good to meet you,
hello. Hello. How are you?

Ollie. Nice to meet you,
mate. And Louis. All right?

They're our drivers.

These two keep the team alive,
these are the mechanics.

Fantastic. The important ones.

First of all, congrats,

I heard there was some
silverware from the weekend.

Yeah, thank you.
Not bad, not bad.

Louis started in the karting,
that's where you started?

I did start karting. Karting's
probably the place you learn

most of your skills
you need for racing.

You don't have to do it, there's
a lot of drivers who didn't do it,

but karting's one of
the funnest as well.

They're posher than the ones
at bangers, aren't they? Yeah.

They're all plastic ones.

We should have brought yours,
stuck it in here, Louis.

Hide it in there,
no-one'll know. Yeah.

Your first F1 race, what
was going through your mind?

Oh, so much.

I was so nervous
back then. Yeah.

Bit of a twitchy bum? Oh,
definitely, definitely!

A lot of it is just pressure
you put on yourself.

You know you'll be able to do
well if you just go out there

and do your job. You've done a race,
you've not done particularly well,

how do you shake that off?

You can't just do it yourself,
you've got to ask the people

who are there for you, how
can I do it better next time?

As soon as you've reviewed it,

you just kind of put it behind and
you look ahead to the next one.

And I believe you've got a
bit of something lined up

for all of our team today? I do.

So, two drivers coming with me,

we're going to have a
bit of session driving.

I was going to say, when
you say a bit a session,

these young people think
you're on about drinking.

It's a driving session,
not a drinking session.

And, Lillie and Callum, you're going
to be going with the engineers.

This is going to be mega today.

For Louis and Ollie, Lando
is going to be coaching them

on one of the most important tools
available to a modern racing driver.

Sim training is crucial. For me,
it's been a big part of my life.

Growing up, I spent a lot
of time on simulators.

Oh, look at this, lads.

Especially starting off, when
you're new into the world of racing

and you're learning different cars,
you're learning different tracks.

There's nothing new in F1 using
simulators for driving training.

What's really remarkable is
that home-gaming racing sims

are now also so accurate that teams
like McLaren are embracing them too.

In their dedicated
eSports studio,

Lando has loaded up the Donington
circuit that Louis and Ollie

will be driving in the GT Cup.

And he's using a McLaren GT4 racer
to lay down a benchmark lap time.

Makes it look easy,
don't he? I know, yeah.

So, that was my lap.

My one lap.

A 1:38.520.

Not my best lap I've ever
done but it was pretty good.

I mean, you made that
look quite straightforward

but I'm pretty sure it's not.

Thank you. It's my job.

So, if you get
around this lap time,

you'll be in a good place.

Deeper in the bowels of the
McLaren Technology Centre...

..Lillie and Callum are
with the F1 pit crew

for a unique look at the mechanic's
role at the very top of the game.

There's between two and six
stops over the race, normally.

So, this is where the mechanics
can make the difference between

winning a race
and losing a race.

How the BLEEP are
we going to do that?

So, guys, that one
was a 2.3, that time.

So, yeah, over to you guys.

Back in the sim, Louis and Ollie
are chasing Lando's 1:38 lap time.

There are a few things which you
can just never feel in the sim.

One is fear. Yeah.

And also the G-force is
the one other thing which

you just don't feel. You don't
feel the physical attributes.

How much seat time on
a sim do you do a week?

A day at least on the simulator,
preparing for every weekend.

So, when you're stepping in,
instead of leaving this leg

back here, bring it in and use
your whole body to drive it home.

Nice work.

Nice work, guys.

Great job.

But their car control's good.

What do we have at the moment?

1:44, Ollie. 1:43?

1:43, Louis.

Which is not bad.
Adapting to a new car,

a quicker car than what
they're used to driving.

Good work, lads, good work.

The team's been given a
taste of the big leagues,

and have shown real
spirit doing it.

It's the spirit they'll need for
this experiment's final test.

There's one last thing
I want to show you.

Because you've done
amazing in the MX-5s,

but Donington, different gravy.

I want to introduce you to the
car you're going to be driving.

Lando, if you'll do the
honours on that corner, pal.

570S GT4.

450hp, 3.8l,

north of 180mph.

I'm lost for words.

The MX-5s were brilliant,

and now we've gone the
complete opposite end.

Excitement, nerves, the
opportunity's amazing.

I can't believe I'm
actually going to drive it.

Just want to get out
there, do my best.

Yeah, I've got a new challenge.

They're a bit crazy for trusting
Ollie and Louis with it.

But I'm excited to see
how they get on with it.

Lando, thank you so much
for coming down today,

really appreciate you
giving up your time for us.

All right, go on,
you lot, skedad.

Cheers, mate. Cheers.

The team has gathered for their
first chance to get to grips

with the new car on track.

A lot more at stake, a lot
less margin for error and a lot

more room for big mistakes,
big accidents and potentially

injuries, so it's a massive step
up from what they've done before.

The McLaren is a daunting
prospect for them all.

But while Lillie and Callum are
now supported by a bigger pit crew,

Louis and Ollie will
be on their own.

More pressure on the drivers.

We can't crash it, they can.

And first behind the wheel of
the £220,000 racer is Louis.

I think it's a bit of a reality
check, we've been talking about it,

we've been about
driving a GT car,

now the guys are actually in
a GT car for the first time

and it's real.

The car looks an animal.

So, I'm looking
forward, a bit nervous.

When the guys get in these
cars for the first time,

there's always a lot of emotion
and overthinking going on.

And through the day,
they'll just iron that out.

So, we'll get there, we'll
work through with them.

Despite not being a whole lot
heavier, the McLaren is over

three times as powerful as the
MX-5s the lads have been racing.

The forces involved
in just driving it

prove to be a
serious wake-up call.

My vision was going blurry.

Because of the G-force of
braking I'm not used to.

I thought the Mazda was bad,
this is just ten times worse.

Ollie, what do you reckon?

How did that feel? I didn't
know what I were doing, really.

Didn't know what you
were doing? No. No?

All that training,
all that prep...

Yeah, it went out the window.
Went out the window, OK.

Just overwhelmed by the
whole experience? Yeah. Yeah?

In what way?
Everything, everything.

I want to start from scratch
and work my way back up.

Yeah.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

As experiments go, Pad,
that's a hefty one.

Talk about a wake-up call.

They knew it wasn't going to
be easy, but I don't think

they realised how tough
it was going to be.

A bunch of novices racing
in GT Cup in a McLaren?

That's in at the
deep end, boss. Yeah.

Me and Chris raced in that series
and let me tell you, it's proper.

Chris didn't even finish. You
broke the car! Bad workman.

Leave it, lads. We'll
see... What? Leave it!

We'll see whether our race team
can cut it in the big league

later on in the show.

But now, we must move on
to talk about hot hatches,

isn't that right,
Christopher? It is, Patrick.

And the hot hatch we need
to talk about is this one -

the Honda Civic Type R,

which, for a long time, has been
the most in-your-face hot hatch

of the lot, getting fightier and
angrier generation on generation.

And now, buckle up, because
there's a new one on the scene.

Well, here's a
turn-up for the books.

This is the new
Honda Civic Type R

and in a break with tradition,

it doesn't look like it should be
wearing an ankle tag. In fact...

..the world's most
thuggish hot hatch

looks like it's
gone a bit grown-up.

But fear not,

because under that sensible new
suit, the Civic Type R is still...

ENGINE REVS

TYRES SQUEAL

..an absolute delinquent!

It's got more power
than ever before.

324 horsepower from a
two-litre turbo-charged engine.

OK, that's only a few more
horsepower than the old one,

but it'll still do 170mph.

0-60 in five seconds.

I mean, how much
more do you want?

That's immense for a
little hot hatchback.

And while more and more fast
hatchbacks are turning up

with sensible four-wheel
drive these days,

the Civic remains
defiantly old school.

Hot Hatches should, in my
book, be front wheel drive.

That's the whole point of them.

What's the upside?
Weight is the upside.

Probably 200kg less than a
four-wheel-drive equivalent.

TYRES SQUEAL

Look at this. It's got
a proper manual gearbox.

Third, second.

Honda are masters at
these manual shifts.

Describe this new one...

It is exceptionally
rigid, yet smooth,

and that is not
remotely amusing.

And this car reminds us what a
hot hatch should be like inside.

It's basic. Not too much going on,
but the seat is just exquisite.

I think it's the best seat
I've ever sat, in a fast car.

I've got dials everywhere.
I've got Honda quality.

But it's not trying to be grown-up.
It's not trying to be a luxury car.

It shouts - "Get in
me and thrash me!"

Which isn't remotely
amusing, either.

What is amusing is just how
much work Honda has put in

to the bits that no-one
will ever notice.

They're very proud
of the turbocharger,

which is 3% more efficient.

Now, that might not sound
like much to you and I,

but to some Honda engineer, that
was four years of hard work.

Exhaust flow improved 13%.

Torsional rigidity improved 15%.

These are all tiny improvements,
but lumped together,

they result in a
driving experience

that's just brighter and
sharper than ever before.

Just feels so alive.

A car that makes you smile.

Ha-ha-ha!

This reminds me of
being young and stupid.

In fact, there's only
one real issue here,

and it's not with the car.

Hot hatches are not designed
for big, open airfields.

They're about cross-country
point-to-point pace.

They're about B-roads.

But the trouble with B-roads is that
they come with real world problems

like speed limits and speed
cameras and other traffic.

Well, not any more.

Introducing the
B-Road-a-Matic 3000

for when you simply must add
interest to your desolate airfield.

I know it may look like a tractor
with a couple of pots of paint

strapped to the back

but it's actually a very
technical piece of equipment

developed over
many, many months,

and I'm extremely proud of it.

And with my very own B-road
now open for business,

it's time to release the Civic
back into its natural habitat.

Already it feels just right.

What a thing!

It's so impressive.

You'd swear it was
four-wheel drive.

Pitch it in.

Just yobbery at its finest.

This is why these cars were made -
for these conditions. It's so agile.

The front of the
car is just superb.

It's so obedient. You
just turn, it goes.

And best of all, I don't feel
totally ashamed driving it

because it wasn't styled
by a seven-year-old.

Honda has nailed
it with this thing.

It's a proper hot hatch.

Hello-hello?

Look at this lot.

Hello. Andrew. To what do I owe
this pleasure? What a line-up.

I have assembled all these classic
hot hatches just to let you know

what they're all about.

But, firstly, what's that
like? Fantastic, mate.

They've smashed it out of the
park. Really, really good car.

It's a bit more subtle
than the last one.

Better to drive. It's wonderful.

I'm sure it's lovely to drive.

Is it a hot hatch? Well, it's
got a hatchback and it's hot.

But...

..it's massive.

You see, whether it's the
classic Citroen AX GT...

Honestly, you wouldn't believe
how agile and fast that is.

..the iconic Renault
Clio Williams...

Do you know what, when I was a kid,
we used to see the odd one of these

knocking about and you
thought, "I want one of these."

..the original VW Golf GTI...

When you think of the original hot
hatchback, the Golf is it, isn't it?

..or even the last truly
game-changing Civic Type R...

Now we're talking. This
moved the game on completely.

..what this line-up of greats
shows is that true hot hatches

all share the same simple,
lightweight, compact DNA.

It's a fantastic line-up, Fred,
I have to say, it makes me smile,

but also a bit wistful for the past
because, well, it makes you realise

how sort of big and bloated
things have become, really. Yeah.

Because the problem is, Fred, all
this old stuff is all very well

but you can't have an
old-style hot hatch that's new.

You can. You can have that.
No, you can't. You can.

You can thank me later.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you

the new OLD Peugeot 205 GTI.

Oh-oh-oh!

It's the work of a British
company called Tolman.

You take an old 205 GTI,

strip it down to the bare bones,

and regenerate it
better than ever before.

This is what they
call a Restomod.

And, yeah, we've seen
Restomods before,

but they've always been
unbelievably expensive.

This 205 is about 45 grand

and, don't get me wrong, I
know that that's a lot of cash,

but, at the same time, it's a
similar price to Chris' Civic.

And I've got to say, this
is a lot more special.

Tolman's gone to town on
every inch of this Peugeot.

The engine's been
totally overhauled.

There's stronger
brakes, new suspension.

They've even updated
the old interior.

OK, so what they didn't manage
to do was find any more space.

If you're my height, 6'4",

you're not exactly
sitting in the car.

I feel like I'm wearing it.

But I've got electric windows.
I've got power steering.

I've got a DAB radio!

And the real genius

is the Tolman 205 doesn't feel
like a new car in old clothes.

It's still shot through with
that classic hot hatch spirit.

Only got 130 horsepower,

which is less than your
average family car nowadays.

But I'm only shifting 900kg,

so it's light, it's nimble,

it's fun!

It is fun. What a car!

Chris, I'm so pleased
you came out to play.

Admit it, you're jealous.

It's absolutely stunning. It's
the perfect hot hatch shape.

Let's see what it can do.
Make it dance. Come on!

It's not particularly
quick, but it's nimble

and it is so much fun.

Oh, here we go.

Tell you what, Fred, it looks
so good I'm already sold.

Where do I write the
cheque? Look at it.

I've got to say, I wanted one
of these when I was about 20

and I've never driven
one up until today

and this thing is
not disappointing.

I can't shake you off,
though, that is for sure.

I suppose I'd better demonstrate
where the progress is now.

Oh, ta-ra, Chris!

That's what 30 years does.

That is what it does.

The truth is, though,
there are no losers here.

Whether you fancy a lovingly-updated
classic or the very best that

modern engineering prowess can
produce, you can't really go wrong.

What we're saying is, then,
if you're into hot hatches,

it's a good time to be alive.

Happy days. Which reminds me,
I've got something to show you.

I've built a B-road!

Oh, it's perfect. Yes!

This is what this
car was made for.

This is some road,
Christopher. Congratulations.

It's about smiles, not speed,
Andrew. Smiles, not speed.

Roundabout. Roundabout. Oh, yes.

Do you mind if I go
again? One more time.

What a car.

The Peugeot 205 GTI Tolman.

Thank you.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That...

..is a really good car.
It is. So is that, though.

Do you know what, seeing
them both side by side,

it's amazing the
size difference.

I mean, how the hell in the
'80s, did we fit in them?

Cos in the '80s, Paddy, we
were kids. We were smaller.

You were never that small. You're
like Donkey Kong in Mario Kart.

You driving around in one
of them is unbelievable.

So go on, then, Pad, fresh pair of
eyes on it, which one you having?

It's a tricky one because

17-year-old Pad would have
loved one of them. I get that.

On the other hand, 17-year-old
Pad would have loved one of them.

Similar prices?
Well, same ballpark.

Oh, it's a tricky one.
They're both so good.

I'm going to have to
go for the Civic. Yeah.

I'm going to have
to go for the Civic

but I'd pop the Peugeot in the
boot for a blast down memory lane

every now and again.
Perfect two-car garage.

Right, that's that sorted. Now we
must get back to our young race team

where things were about
to get really serious.

Just seven weeks since our
young team first came together,

this bold experiment is
reaching its conclusion.

A band of talented
drivers and mechanics

whose racing ambitions could
never have reached so far...

..are now going wheel-to-wheel
with a multimillion pound grid

of hardened racers
in the GT Cup.

It's extremely tough. They
really have to soak up everything

that we say like a sponge, not get
overwhelmed by the whole experience.

From what we've seen of
them in the car so far,

you know, they're adapting
to it very, very well

and taking it on
board very quickly.

It's pre-race practice.

Louis and Ollie have had two weeks
intensive training with the car

and now it's their
last chance to prepare.

We've got brand-new
brakes on the front...

30% brake pressure, 50%, 70.

The warm-up session doesn't
just give them the chance

to set the car up for the track,

it's also the driver's
one opportunity

to rehearse crucial moments
of the race to come.

I want you to practise
the driver chain

as they come into the pits hot.

Hit your marks on the board. Get
out the car as quick as can, Louis,

then you're jumping in,
waiting for the push back.

Remember, once the
lollipop releases you,

you've got to mash
that throttle.

Full faith on him. You just got
to go into the fast lane and go.

For mechanics Lillie
and Callum, meanwhile,

working with the McLaren has
meant finding their place

in a professional pit crew.
Lillie and Callum have gelled well

with their team. They
get on with everybody.

They've stepped up to the next
level, checking suspension,

you know, we changed
brakes yesterday

and I think they'll
do really well today.

The whole team has
raised their game.

But as practice comes to an end,

the real test starts now.

Just, uh...

..keeping everything crossed.

We've got 20 minutes
and then we're out.

So the call for the tyres will be
a little bit earlier. Yeah. Yeah.

So I want you guys out. You got
gloves? I'll get some now. Yeah.

You want good ones. Yeah? Cos the
pull for the tyres will strain you.

All right. Yeah. Yeah?

You good? Yeah. Thank you.

The incredible field that
makes up the GT Cup grid

is divided into six
competitive categories.

Team Top Gear is
competing in the GTH class

against nine other McLarens,
Porsches and AMG Mercs.

As a team endurance event,

both drivers will have
to prove themselves.

First with the
qualifying rounds.

On new tyres, low fuel,

he's going to get about
three laps to do a time.

My boy.

Yeah, he's my
little gentle giant.

I know he's in a
really, really fast car.

Yeah, my heart should
be palpitating.

But I've got confidence in him
and he's a confident lad as well.

Do you believe how mad it is
from karting to doing this?

I mean, it's mad,
isn't it? It is crazy.

Oh, I'm buzzing for
you. Buzzing for you.

I can't believe that my boy

is competing at this level.

I just couldn't be more proud.

The opportunity which he's had here
is something that's unobtainable

to the working man. You can't
afford to race a McLaren.

You can't afford to
sit in a McLaren.

Louis and Ollie's first-ever
competitive performance in the car

is enough to qualify
them 8th in class.

And now the end of the
road for Team Top Gear

lies on the other side of
a 50-minute endurance race.

A race where each
driver gets a stint,

swapping midway with
a full team pit stop.

Competing right through to the
chequered flag would need them

ALL to be on their game.

Right, guys, it's time
to get serious now.

This whole journey is
pointed to the GT Cup race.

50-minute race. I
want Louis to start

and then for you, Ollie, to bring
home the chequered flag. Perfect.

Come on, lads. Let's do it.

I'm more nervous
watching this than...

I know, it's the
thing, isn't it?

You just want them to be safe,
don't you? They're like your kids.

Our stomachs are in knots. Imagine
what their bloody dads are like.

Louis is approaching the
end of the formation lap,

and the rolling start
is just seconds away.

It's time to find out
how this team reacts

when he comes to the big moment.

Lights are on on the
gantry. They go out now.

And we get Round 20 of the 2022
Championship season under way

for GT Cup.

Come on! Come on, Louis!

It looks as though everybody is
safely through the first corner.

Louis came on the
radio and says,

"The car in front
is slowing me down."

It takes a bit of skill,
a bit of experience.

So you've got to work out where
you are quicker during the lap

and then pick your moment.

Has he got him? Yeah, got him.

Pace is really good. Faster
than that car in front.

That car is running top
three in the points.

Louis is making his mark as
he claws away at the field.

All the while in the garage,

the team's pit stop strategy
is being calculated.

If he's got a bit of traffic,
we might get Ollie in to try

and do an undercut to try and
overtake during the pit stops.

Or if Louis is in clean air,
just keep him out there.

Just keep going.

Get yourself ready, warmed up.

Do something to me as well.

Out on track, the battles
and drama continue...

Whoa! Uh-oh! Oh!

..but Louis is holding his own.

There he is, there he is.

Go on, go on, go on, go on.

What do you think about his
position at the minute? You happy?

Yeah, he's doing a good job.

We're holding P7 right now.

So this is number 25
car... Go on, Louis!

..going well in the hands of
Louis Smithen making his debut

in the Championship, scheduled to
hand the car over to Ollie Hall.

The pit stop window opens

and the team in the garage
get ready to go to work.

How long till he's
in? Three minutes.

Whatever happens, happens. Do your
best, that's all we can ask for.

Oh!

Go on, Ol.

Please confirm...

Let's do it.

Get out, go, go.

Here we go.

Where are we?

Go.

Good job, good job, good job.

What happened with
the safety car, then?

So, Car 17 crashed out.

Safety car came out just as
we were coming into the pit,

so I think that may have
played out in our favour.

How was it? It was fun.

So much fun, yeah. You
looked great out there.

I could hear you saying the
guy in front of you was slower.

You got past. Yeah. Oh!

Louis held 7th place
at the handover

and, as the safety car pits,

the race resumes. Here we go.

Ollie now has just over ten minutes
to bring it home for the team.

Go on!

Two more laps to go.

Go on, Ol, push!

Come on, Ollie, bring it
home, son. Bring it home.

Yes! Yeah, boy.

Good lad.

Well done, lad. P7.
Well done, mate.

Good job. Thank you.
Fantastic. Fantastic.

Well done. You believe that?
No. Can you believe that? Eh?

Yes, come on, Ollie!

CHEERING

Yes. Oh, mate!

Few beers tonight?

Oh, that was just probably
the best day of my life.

I'm just so happy that we got
a good result for the team.

Yeah, I'm just amazed.

Wow, it's been incredible. We
didn't start out as racing drivers,

but we've definitely
finished as one.

It's been so incredible.

It's like something you're
never going to forget,

being here, doing all of this.

The paddock team has
just been amazing.

I just want to thank them so
much for looking after me.

The mechanics, especially, for
getting the car set up for me.

Callum and Lillie, me two mechanics,
we have been on a journey.

We've got some amazing
memories together

and memories that
we'll cherish forever.

It's just been amazing
from start to finish.

The dream for me is basically to
do what I've done the last couple

of months, just as a living.

The dream for the future will be to
continue in any form of motorsport.

There we go.

A couple of months
ago, we had an idea.

Could we get four young people
together and get into racing,

people who would
never get a shot?

And if we could,
what would happen?

There's your answer.

And it just goes to show
the talent's out there.

All they need is a chance.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Give it up for Lillie,
Callum, Ollie and Louis!

Amazing. Respect to all of you.

Eight weeks from a standing
start to racing in GT Cup,

that is a hell of an
effort. Fantastic.

I tell you what, when that
flag dropped at Donington,

all the nerves kicked in.

For me, it was like sending
your kids off to school

for the first time, but this
time the kids are driving

220-grand McLarens! And
I'll tell you what else.

After only two months on the job,
they've already done better than us.

They've actually managed to finish
a race without breaking down

or smashing up a car.
Well done. Amazing.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And it goes to prove that
there's real talent out there

and I'm very proud
of that young team.

Ladies and gentlemen, give
it up for Team Top Gear!

CHEERING

Again! You're milking
it now. Milking it.

And that's it for us tonight
and for the next few weeks,

because we're off your screens for
something called the World Cup.

Come on, England!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And Wales!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thanks so much for watching. See
you in a few weeks. Goodnight.