Episode 2 The Racing Set

These teenage racers aren't old enough to drive on the roads.

I'm 15 years old, driving race cars. There's nothing better than that.

As soon as the engine starts, your mind's in gear.

But at the weekends, they tear up the track...

COMMENTATOR: He's through on the inside track, into fourth place.

Come on!

This season, two teams go head-to-head...

COMMENTATOR: To the chequered flag! Two out of two!

One is brother and sister...

We're both competitive and we both want to beat each other.

The other, a team of mates...

-We always want to win.

-Racing's my dream.

It's a tough fight... and we'll be with them all the way.

Expect the unexpected! There's no guarantees in this sport.

So who will be crowned winner of The Racing Set?

None of my school friends are doing anything as cool as this!

Last time on The Racing Set...

One-to-watch Jamie hit the buffers.

COMMENTATOR: Oh, my goodness!

Being the only girl in the championship makes me feel like

I should be doing a lot better because I am a girl.

New boy James had to face how much his sport was costing his family.

You know what Mum and I are having to go through to put you out there.

It's so important for us to get this sponsor on board.

But James went on to win the Rookie Cup.

I don't really know what to say, to be honest.

I'm quite excited and happy, you know! Emotional wreck!

Today, our racing rivals hit the fastest track in the UK.

It's so scary, you have to hang on for dear life!

COMMENTATOR: What a great bit of driving!

And the competition hots up between brother and sister.

Any racing driver will want to win, especially

if you're racing against your brother.

You're going to have even more sibling rivalry.

So who's tough enough to triumph on this track?

If you're successful in sport, there is pressure. It comes with the job.

It's early morning

and Ollie is doing a safety check on the helicopter he's flying today.

It's this 17-year-old's other big passion.

First thing I do is drain a little bit of fuel in case there's

a bit of water.

And then mainly looking at the check list,

just checking everything's in working order.

Ollie started learning to fly when he was 14.

Two years later,

he became the youngest person in the world to fly a jet helicopter solo.

I've done four of the exams and there's three more to go.

That means I'm qualified to fly when I like in this helicopter.

So it's good, yeah.

Ollie is taking to the skies with Ray, his instructor,

to clear his head before the start of this weekend's racing.

Just up the road at her school is his 15-year-old sister

and team-mate, Jamie.

She is taking a break from racing with best friend, Yvie.

Jamie won her first hockey cup when she was just 11 and recently,

she's had to choose between the two sports that she loves.

-I'm quite tired after that!

-Yeah! You're really good at hockey!

-I reckon you could play for England!

-Yeah.

-You'd rather go racing!

I know, it's definitely a tough decision to choose between racing

and hockey. Because I do really enjoy it.

Even though it's hard and everything

and I'm under pressure competing against my brother,

I still think it's definitely what I want to do and, yeah,

just got to put the hard work in to make it worthwhile.

Any racing driver wants to win.

And I think especially if you're racing against your brother.

You're going to have even more sibling rivalry.

So when I come on the hockey pitch, I just think I want to win even more.

It's the start of the racing weekend at Thruxton

and Jamie's main rookie rival James is here

with his team-mates Harry and Will.

With Harry winning their last race and James coming second,

the team are competitive on and off the track.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Oh, what?!

James has recently joined the team

and it's his first time at this difficult track.

It's very hard because it's so fast.

It's one of the scariest circuits in Britain.

The Thruxton track has no sharp corners

so the cars here can get up to incredible speeds.

Cars want to slide all the time.

It's so scary. You have to hang on for dear life.

A track as tricky as this

only adds to the anxiety for James and his mum and dad.

It's James's first year

and coming off the back of a second on the podium at Donington,

it's put us under a lot of pressure as a family

because I think we're all expecting him to be extremely quick now.

Also hoping to put on a good show today is Team Chadwick.

After crashing out in her previous race, Jamie is putting

a brave face on things.

I think it's impossible to predict what's going to happen.

Not only am I getting faster, but everyone else is getting faster too.

I've just got to look forward to it rather than be scared of it.

As the first girl to get a Ginetta Junior Scholarship,

Jamie has a lot to live up to,

and she's being helped on her way by team coach Chris.

I think, quite seriously, that Jamie Chadwick

is totally capable of being a Formula 1 driver.

Of that I've got no doubt whatsoever.

Jamie really needs to get ahead of James in today's races.

As the first race begins,

everyone wants to get to the front.

For all eight rookie drivers in this championship,

racing on the fastest track in the country

is no mean feat.

Some of the instructors won't even go out with the youngsters

at Thruxton because it's so scary and lairy.

The race is over and the results are in.

But this difficult track has got the better of Jamie.

Unfortunately, I tried a little too hard too early and spun out.

That really put me on the back foot,

meaning I couldn't get a decent time down, so...not great at all.

These knockbacks are just par for the course in racing.

But back at home, her brother Ollie is always on hand

to help her chill out.

-Are you scared of anything, Ollie?

-Snakes, I don't like snakes.

I agree with you there.

One thing we can agree on.

This racing simulator might be one of their favourite toys,

but it's more than just a game.

It's a good way to practise away from the pressures of the track.

It's hard to learn from your siblings or parents.

Like, my dad was trying to teach Ollie with flying, and things,

and it was hard, cos you're able to doubt what he says

just because it's family.

But he's been trying to help me out

and I've just got to take the advice and listen to everything he says

because he knows what he's talking about.

My go! You crashed.

Over at his home in Yorkshire,

James is also getting in some off-track training.

This is how I get to learn the track

and get to learn the lines before I go to a race meeting.

He can't visit the track to test-drive in person

as much as he'd want to, unlike his team-mates.

I think other people get to do a little bit more testing than me

because my mum and dad are struggling for money a bit at the minute,

and to get all the testing in as well, it costs a lot of money.

If I do come off and crash my car,

my team will be annoyed and my dad will be annoyed

because they'll have to pay for it to get it fixed, and stuff.

James will have to drive carefully on the Thruxton track

to protect his £30,000 car.

It's race day for everyone,

and James's dad is also keenly aware

that any damage done today could cost the family dear.

He knows there isn't a tree at the bottom of the garden

that we can go and just pick money off. The brick wall is looming.

Over in the Chadwicks' camp,

Ollie's team are putting the finishing touches to his car.

Just before a race can be a nerve-racking time for the family.

We're both competitive and we both want to beat each other,

but at the end of the day, if one of us doesn't do as well,

we're both down about it and it does affect us.

Moments before any race is a tense time for everyone.

I hope that they're nervous.

They need to have a certain amount of nervous tension in them.

To be competitive, you need to be that way.

It's not a walk in the park. It is a lot of pressure.

That's part of being a racing driver.

That's part of anything.

If you're successful in sport, there is pressure. It comes with the job.

They are all lined up and ready to go.

So the guys about to get under way here

for the weekend here at Thruxton.

Great conditions, which everybody's revelling in.

But as the cars fly off, James falters.

Before he's even begun, his car is now at the back of the pack.

This could cost him the race.

Chadwick on the outside in yellow.

That's going to convert to the inside here.

Meanwhile, Ollie's in a healthy third place.

He's chasing James's team-mate Harry, who's in the lead.

Jamie is steadily moving up the ranks

despite starting at the back herself.

There's Kellett down towards the back of the field

with a fair bit of work to do.

James is still desperately trying to claw back places

after his terrible mistake at the start.

Ollie has settled into the lead group

along with Harry and Will, James's team-mates.

But Will is spinning off,

his car forms an obstacle on the track and somehow,

Ollie misses him.

What a great bit of driving by Ollie Chadwick!

Ollie's experience and skill have saved him from a nasty crash.

And this gives Jamie the chance she's looking for

to get ahead.

Jamie Chadwick in blue 55 has gone ahead of her brother...

But her advantage over Ollie doesn't last long.

Ollie's making a good recovery. Got ahead of his sister.

He'll be pleased with that.

And out of nowhere, James is on her tail.

Then he quickly overtakes her...

It's tough for all of them

on the fastest track in the country.

Ohh!

Jack Rawles just loses the back of the thing.

As one of the cars spins off the track,

it gets in the way of Jamie and she crashes straight into it.

It's a nightmare for her,

with her bonnet so damaged that she can barely see

she has to bow out.

Up ahead, Ollie is still in.

But suddenly, something seems to go wrong.

Chadwick has a problem. Ollie Chadwick is suddenly slow.

A power failure in his car means

his fight for a place on the podium is over.

The unstoppable Harry goes on to take first place

and James has made an incredible recovery and comes fifth.

Despite missing the start,

James has bagged himself yet another rookie cup.

But the result couldn't be worse for Jamie.

There's the disappointed Jamie Chadwick

after rear-ending Jack Rawles. We see so many incidents happening

at the chicane here at Thruxton,

but Jamie's a tough racer. She'll be back to have a go.

A crash with another driver has knocked her for six.

Really quite disappointed with how it's all gone.

Unfortunately, Jack Rawles spun coming out of the chicane

and rejoined the track in front of me

and I had nowhere to go other than into him,

so I had to retire, so it's really devastating.

And Ollie and his team are just glad he's got back to base in one piece.

But James and his mum and dad are celebrating his triumph.

A great drive, James. Fantastic.

It's been a big success for James's team all round,

as Harry and Will take first and third places.

James has beaten seven other rookies to take the rookie cup again.

He almost can't believe his luck.

I had the worst start I could have possibly had, really.

I dropped back to last

and then I was able to get my way back through to fifth,

which is unbelievable.

It was a dogfight out there, absolutely crazy.

Setbacks are difficult for every driver,

but Jamie always tries to stay focused.

The biggest aspect of it is just moving on

and keeping a fresh mind and keeping positive for the next race.

Next time - James is on top of the world...

-Unbelievable.

-..whilst Jamie hits rock bottom.

I've lost a bit of confidence.

And with the weather against them,

they all face their greatest challenge yet.

The car can be repaired, but I can't.