Episode 4 The Racing Set

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

15 years old, driving race cars, there's nothing better than that.

But at the weekends, they tear up the track.

I don't even know what to say. It was absolutely an amazing race.

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

'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.

All of us are going to win.

Racing is 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.

Previously on The Racing Set, golden rookie James

was on top of the world after a winning start to the season.

That was amazing! Unbelievable!

But at the track, he came crashing down to earth.

I'm just really a little bit angry at the minute.

Another £800.

Whilst his main rookie rival Jamie's season has gone from bad to worse.

I'm just on a bit of a downer, I lost a bit of confidence

and I just don't really know how to come out of it, I guess.

And as the weather turned against them,

everyone was pushed to their limits.

It's hard because we would have easily won that race.

Couldn't blame anybody else.

The car can be repaired, but I can't, so I'm happy that I'm OK.

Today, our drivers will be on one of the most unpredictable

tracks in the UK...

It's literally up-down, up-down, like a roller coaster.

..where both Jamie

and James will have to dig deep to turn their fortunes around.

I'm 15 years old. I'm going to have to start taking responsibility.

I think I need to become a bit more aggressive as person.

We know it's there. You're just that far away from getting it.

It's first thing in the morning at the Chadwicks'

-home in Gloucestershire.

-Come on, Oscar.

After another disappointment on the track,

Jamie looks to her best friend Yvie for support.

You've had some pretty bad luck this season. That mustn't be too good.

It was obviously massively disappointing

and I think it was a big crash, it was quite scary.

But you've just got to reset and refocus on the fact that

you're out there to race, you can't let things like that get to you.

To be honest, if racing wasn't about driving round on a knife edge,

I wouldn't do it. You should come in the car with me one day.

-With you driving?

-Yeah.

-God!

-Not sure you trust me.

While Jamie is determined to keep going, over in Yorkshire,

after James span off the track at Croft, he and his family have

received a repair bill for his car that could stop him in his tracks.

It's nearly £7,000, which is... pretty much cleans us out, James.

Unless we can raise some money,

it doesn't look like we'll be going to the next round.

Which... I'm sorry, but that's the way things are.

-What do you feel about it?

-What do you think?

-Um...

It is definitely annoying and upsetting,

but hopefully we can get like sponsorship and stuff.

Come back at it good and strong.

You're good enough. You're too good to stand on the sidelines.

-Something will turn up.

-Yeah, hopefully.

If it was my last race, it would be annoying

because I'm doing really well in the championship.

We'll just have to save our money and come back a bit strong

and even more determined next time I'm out in the car,

but it is a bit annoying, but I'll get through it.

In an effort to turn things around, James has returned to the

place where he began his racing career at the age of nine.

But today, he's getting paid to teach young kids how to go-kart.

This is the time to beat today. 53 dead.

If you can get into the 52s, that'll be amazing.

I'm 15 years old. I'm going to have to start taking responsibility.

Getting my own money somehow and be able to try

and pay for my own racing, or at least give a bit to my mum and dad.

Most young racers start in a place like this.

It gives them confidence on the track, a taste for speed

and the drive to win.

Try and pass people as much as possible.

And just push it as hard as you can, OK?

He's determined to do his bit for the family and his racing career.

I thought cos he's a teenager he'd be with other teenagers,

but he spends most of his time with us.

Racing's my life. When I'm in the car, it's my home really.

I absolutely love it.

James is not the only one putting everything he's got into racing.

Ollie has brought his sister Jamie to a specialist racing school

to get her up to speed with this weekend's track, Knockhill.

Jamie's on the simulator now, learning the track.

It's important for her, as she's never been there before.

Wait, clean exit, tight, tight.

Jamie is taking the wheel of a machine that recreates

the course of all the racetracks in Britain.

Today, she can see Knockhill all around her.

-That's it, straighten up.

-It's an exciting track.

It's literally up-down, up-down, like a roller coaster.

As it will be Jamie's first time on this track,

it's vital that she learns as much as she can today.

I've shown her some on-board footage and we've seen some stuff on YouTube,

but it doesn't compare to actually driving it in the car, so this

is her first real experience of going round it, and how it works and stuff.

Another part of her training here is how to be interviewed on telly.

This is when having that nice relaxed body language becomes

even more important.

She's getting tips from ITV racing reporter Louise Goodman.

It's good to have opinions. The more you have opinions,

the more you'll find journalists will ask you questions,

as you've got something to say.

I'm very sort of conscious what people think.

I think it's a bit of a girl thing as well.

Drivers don't just try and gain an edge on the track,

they try and get an edge off the track as well.

I can bully you and you're going to be the girl.

I need to become a bit more aggressive as a person.

-I've got to be a force to be reckoned with.

-Absolutely.

Let's hope that Jamie can keep that new-found confidence as race

day begins at Knockhill in Scotland.

James and his team-mates, Harry and Will,

are all ready to take on this roller-coaster track.

I'll be able to get a good start and get in front of the rookies

and hopefully, get a podium.

-What about you, Harry?

-A win.

-A win?

-Yeah. A win.

Before every race, James has to work hard to stay confident

and not add to the family's repair bills.

It is a bit nerve-racking because of crashing and stuff,

but you forget about that and just think about what you're going to do

in the race and think about the race and beating your opponents, really.

Jamie is keen to keep out of trouble today.

On so many occasions I know I could have done something or had

a good result, but then I've been hit off.

So it's frustrating, really.

But the head of her team, Jules, is sure she has the stamina to succeed.

Keep pushing right to the end. We know it's there.

You're just that far away from getting there. You've got the tools.

You've got to make the brain make the tools work now. OK?

There's more pressure on Jamie because she's the first girl

ever to be given a Ginetta Junior Racing scholarship.

To get to the standard she's at now,

I haven't seen such raw talent in many years.

She is...

If she applies herself as hard as she does for the rest of her

time in the car, she will go a long way in motorsport.

With the race just moments away, James' dad is there, as ever,

-for support.

-All right, mate?

-Yeah.

Can't wait. A little bit nervous, but hopefully it's going to be good.

-I'm really proud of you. Good luck.

-Thank you.

-We'll be watching.

-All right?

-As the cars get ready,

Ollie's focusing on improving his record of second and third places.

He wants first.

We've got good starts, it'll be close, very close,

and I'll be surprised if anyone can break away.

So it'll be interesting, for sure.

And championship leader Harry is relaxed, as usual.

I don't really plan on anything.

The more you plan, the more you get wrong. I'm not nervous.

You haven't got time to be nervous. You've got to be racing.

The cars line up on the grid.

After their qualifiers, Harry starts in first, James in sixth,

Ollie in seventh and Jamie is at the back in tenth place.

'Lights on. Is it going to be a long wait? No, it's a quick start.'

From the start line, Harry slips back into second.

Ollie is desperate to get to the front.

And in his haste, he cuts a corner.

But remains in seventh.

Seconds later, there's trouble.

It's a heart-stoppingly near miss for James.

Jamie managed to avoid the problems and has moved up to sixth place.

Up in front, Ollie's in a comfortable fourth,

and Harry is determined not to let anyone beat him.

'Look at this. Really leaning on each other.'

He muscles his way past into the lead.

The frontrunners are all chasing trophies

and they will do anything to get one.

Cheekily, Ollie cuts another corner.

This time, taking one of the signs with him.

'Chadwick on the grass and rejoins.'

Ollie has made it to third place.

But the top spot is still out of reach at the moment.

Meanwhile, all the rookies are at the back,

fighting it out for the rookie cup.

And with Jamie's main rival James languishing in last place,

Jamie makes her move and gets ahead of the pack at the back.

'Now it's Jamie Chadwick leading the rookie category in the blue car.'

Moments later, James' haste to make up some ground means

he takes the corner too fast.

His race is over.

With Ollie still in third and Jamie leading the rookies,

both of the Chadwicks look like they'll be on the podium together.

But the car behind Ollie wants that third place too.

'On the back of Ollie Chadwick. Very defensive.'

Under pressure, Ollie falls back into a disappointing fourth.

The race finishes with Harry maintaining his winning streak

and Ollie just missing out on a trophy.

But there has been an incredible turnaround in Jamie's fortunes.

For the first time, she's top rookie.

'Out front, Jamie Chadwick wins the rookie.'

It's the result she's been waiting for.

After a string of disappointments,

Jamie finally gets her hands on a trophy.

And her whole team are over the moon too.

For once, it's me that's come through, rather than other people.

So, I'm chuffed.

Go and talk to Alan.

At last, Jamie gets to do a winner's interview.

Couple of occasions where we've come close,

but then had an incident and lost out.

So finally, for once, it's me that's got it.

But as Ollie is fourth, he's not joining her on the podium.

Yeah, we just lost out in the last sector of the race. That cost us.

But that's something to learn from.

Ollie isn't the only one to miss out. James came in last.

-I brought the car home in one piece, which is a good thing.

-Yeah, I saw.

If all the crashing weren't happening at the start, it would

have been a good race.

But after that, I was annoyed and angry

and I just wanted to catch up as much as possible.

I think I was pushing it a bit too hard.

-Live to fight another day.

-Yeah.

Hopefully.

James' team-mate Harry has won yet again and this puts him so far ahead

in the overall championship, it will be difficult for anyone to catch up.

-Is it about keeping your championship bubbling now?

-Yeah.

We'll still be going for the wins, but we'll not take any risks.

If we can do that, it'll be great.

But with her hands firmly on her first rookie cup,

today belongs to Jamie.

Next time, it's the last race of the season and Jamie

and James are both desperate to win the rookie championship.

Zero risks and, hopefully, we can get the rookie cup.

And as the skies open, will it be the end of the road for our drivers?

Why should he get into trouble?