the nose in with no signs of under steer. The monocoque frame settled quickly on the soft springs and the light body roll allowed by the anti-roll bars helped to stabilize the car throughout the corner as I exited high for turn two holding fourth gear.
Only slight brake pressure is needed for turn two as to keep the wheels from engine brake locking while downshifting to third gear. Third gear really found its home on the track and hit’s the peak power and torque on the low end of the curve to give throttle braking and room for play on exits of the corners to come.
Hitting a late apex out of turn two induces the first sign of over steer but it feels like a controlled pull as the IForged Astras fight to hold a bead on the race compound tyres.
A moderate acceleration differential torque setting kept the inside tyre from overheating (Tech note, came stock with limited slip helical differential). Ride the power through the exit and swing out to the right for turn three which only needs a slight blip off the throttle, a quick turn in, and back on to the floor board through and out of the apex.
Turn four can be tricky as a bad entry will leave you reeling out on turn five. I found the same blip and turn technique shifts all 2,291 lbs. nicely to the outside wheels who are more than happy to make the asphalt scream for help as the inside tires tamp out a beat on the rumble strip on turn five.
I modulate the throttle ever so slightly through the exit as turn six will turn into a skid pad if you allow more than a half car length to come between you and the apron. Fourth gear was on the verge of making the full 203 horsepower to and through the exit.
I let the over steer carry me out of the long blind curve and set up about three quarters track width on the right and take as late of an apex as I can find through turn seven still holding out on fourth gear. Straightening out you blindly go over the grass clippings entering the final turn and click down to three.
Its anchors away as you sight through the corner and your pupils make contact with the pit lane. Time to kick back and listen to the sound of gears striking tooth to tooth as you set cruise control for the finish line.