Original subtitles

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 kill 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.