Ma7da (Sevens Race car)

[gixermark]

Hey guys,

Starting a thread for this race car…. I recently purchased in England sight unseen (the owner is well known in racing circles so wasn’t worried)

I’ve been itching to race more in England for a while…. But it’s hard to get the £ and logistics to all stack up.

I got the opportunity to race in a fun cup endurance event end of Aug… and that really cemented my desire to do the arrive n drive thing if I could.

So this car fits into a VERY tightly regulated class ran by 750 motorclub in England… it’s based on the Locost ‘book’ chassis for sevens… and runs std Mazda MX-5 (mk2.5) engine and box… all to a weight limit, all on 185 Toyo 888 tyres… lots of spec bits from the club.. like manifold, cat, fuel regulator, ECU and the club supplied map etc.

The guy I bought it off (who built that car and raced it…) is going to run it for me… so prep, store, maintain.. transport and run on the day at the race meetings.

Last wk end was their last round of the year… and it was Silverstone GP!!! and I thought why not get out for a run before the season ends… I didnt do the practice o the friday… just headed over with the family and checked out silverstone museum on sat morning… and watched an endurance event (birket) on the sat afternoon…

Sunday was qual and 2 races… was tough jumping into new car… and right into qualy.. difficult track to learn.. and conditions were damp/greasy.

Given it was GP track they combined our 25 grid class with another sports car class… so we had ~45 cars on grid !!

I qualified 17th in class… and ended up 13th in both races…. Making decent enough progress first time out. It was like driving on ice, and I really didn’t want to throw it into the wall first time out!! I had a very big moment in qualy that probably dented confidence a bit!

Will get a proper seat fit and set up done over winter… and hope!!! To do the full championship next year if I can… can’t wait!

That’s me meeting the car with my trusty pit crew!!

An image a mate captured from the live streamed race… I think all the races next year are live streamed.

Always been the dream to try and do a series in England…. So hopefully here goes!!

 

[PaulYDP]

No better man for the job! Looking forward to seeing how next season goes!

 

[gixermark]

And this is the onboard video from one of the races last wk end… by this years champion, he was running to 3 in this…. Shows how bloody slippy it was!!

No better man for the job! Looking forward to seeing how next season goes!

Hopefully you’ll be joining pit crew duties (aka beer drinking!!) at some of the races

 

[PaulYDP]

Hopefully you’ll be joining pit crew duties (aka beer drinking!!) at some of the races

Absolutely, just try and stop me lol!!

 

[big_pete]

If you need more volunteers for beer drinking ahem pit crew lol

 

[FM155]

The variation of circuits over there has got to be a big part of the appeal, the 750 series' use a lot of the 'park' circuits like Donington, Cadwell, Mallory and Oulton which are all class. The 750 club run a lot of really good series too, have fun!

 

[gixermark]

The variation of circuits over there has got to be a big part of the appeal, the 750 series' use a lot of the 'park' circuits like Donington, Cadwell, Mallory and Oulton which are all class. The 750 club run a lot of really good series too, have fun!

Yup…. And they are also a club that tend to manage series that have proper regulations that hold classes together for a long time.

This class was built in 2019 as a step up
From the original Locost series (with 1300cc cross flow engines) and each year more and more guys are moving to this class.

If you need more volunteers for beer drinking ahem pit crew lol

You’d be most welcome Pete….. it’s always eye opening going to club racing in England!

 

[slickcell]

Class man!! Would love to do this

 

[gixermark]

Class man!! Would love to do this

no turbo’s allowed mind matey

Should be good…. I suspect 25-30 car grids

 

[EF Ian]

I can't imagine its possible to have much more fun that this would be.

Good luck, hope you get a lot out of it.

 

[gixermark]

Getting ready for hopefully a fairly full season in England this year….

I’m all registered for the Ma7da championship (hosted by 750 club) and currently! Looks like I can get to all rounds expect Anglesey (on holidays)

On Saturday last was the official club pre season test day - at snetterton on the 300 layout… had never been around it before, it’s bloody long at 3 miles… and has everything from flat out corners to right a tricky hairpins… and everything Inbetween.

I went over Friday to get a seat made which failed (my fault) so had to run with a seat insert from previous owner (I’m not running an actual physical seat) that put me on the back foot…. As I had no lateral support, and anyone that knows snetterton knows the huge side loads through the likes of Coram which just goes on forever.. and quite honestly the last 2 sessions of the day I was really struggling to hold my head up.

Anyway… first session started behind safety car… and then we got going… very very busy sessions with Tin tops… some slower than my car… some desperately quicker!! Knocked out 2:19s first session but struggled to get a clean run.

I knew before I got there that pointy end/lap record type pace was 2:12 (with draft etc) …. And that actual competitive racing times were 2:14 to be at pointy end.

2nd session got into a groove… still struggling with seat. And had jammed clothes down my sides to try and get support… but just kept head down.. and if I got clean track attacked as hard as I could.. dropped into a 2:17 which was happy enough with.

After lunch track temp dropped and sun disappeared… did a session at 2:19-2:20 and struggled even more with understeer than I had in earlier sessions… didn’t want to make drastic changes, but made a few tweaks.

Out again… and put head down… knocked out a 2:17 dead… 2:17.2 and 2:17.3 and a couple
Mid 2:17s too… git a slightly better balance but still knew were I was losing time.

Handy tbing is the guy running me has data from when he races the car (he was competitive) so he compared data of his fastest run last time there vs mine.. so I could see clearly 3 turns I was losing time… every other turn I was matching him…. Slightly behind by a tenth or two or ahead by a tenth or two…. Encouraging… but still a fair bit of time overall to find…. Having the data is good as there is nowhere to hide between that and the times - zero bull****!

Went out last session and best I could do was a 2:16.6….. I felt I should have had a 2:15 in me, but couldn’t nail turn 1 with enough confidence…. And my neck and back were both getting real sore.

Overall very happy… some seat time.. nothing broke and am really happy with the bloke running the car for me.

The cars are not ‘quick’ but was topping out at a genuine GPS 118mph with no tow…. They also have close to zero grip!! As they all run 185 toyos alround… also no limited slip diff… so you have to be sooo delicate on inputs.. steering and throttle… will take me a while to adapt, as the Caterham I can drive one handed sliding… pulling gears with the sequential stick… have the power to correct any slide or change angle real easy… and power slide out of turns….. it’s a challenge I relish!!!

That’s it until first round which is Easter wk end…. Got a couple test sessions in the afternoon… and then qualy and two races easter Monday.

Biggest surprise of the wk end was the company (Indi Seat) that produces the bead seat kit that I messed up on Friday (I didn’t follow instructions properly ) I had contacted them anyway as I had been in touch they wk before about maybe getting it professionally covered… so I just let them know not needed now!! As the seat didn’t form… I didn’t complain as I had no idea why (and the seat kit was 10 months sitting in my garage!!)

Company came back…. Said the only time they have issues of people do x and Y….. I did both!!! And admitted to them I was too hasty.

They said they would give me a new kit at half price…….. I said very generous, but I’ll prob need a plan B as I’m racing in 3 weeks… and I live in NI… car lives in England.

Bloke came back and said that’s motorsport….. he’ll meet me anywhere in England even trackside and personally custom make the seat for me… no charge. (If I cover the half price replacement)

Again.. I said very generous… but my next test day was Easter Sunday… and I said im
quite sure won’t suit….. he said - see ya there!!!

Having been let down massively by an engine guy for my Caterham for the last year…. This has restored my faith in motorsport community…

Sorry for the long winded ramble…. If anyone has been bored enough to read this far… I guess I should add a couple of photos…. Not that they are great… and not that the car is a looker!!!

Excited to be back behind the wheel…. Been a while.

 

[Ben P]

Great result on the seat!!

 

[FM155]

Should be a great series, no Cadwell , but a good selection of circuits all the same. No grip, not much power but also not much weight is a good combination in any case, bit like FF1600. Good luck for the season!
Got a mate in England doing his first season racing in a historic spec Midget and he wants me over to mop his brow / tell him to hurry up / fix stuff at a round or two for him. Be good to get over to the big circuits there again.

 

[gixermark]

Should be a great series, no Cadwell , but a good selection of circuits all the same. No grip, not much power but also not much weight is a good combination in any case, bit like FF1600. Good luck for the season!
Got a mate in England doing his first season racing in a historic spec Midget and he wants me over to mop his brow / tell him to hurry up / fix stuff at a round or two for him. Be good to get over to the big circuits there again.

They did cadwell last year… and 2021… so hopefully next year again.

Bit like FF1600 in a few ways yea… very very competitive… but thankfully engine & tyre costs in this are more in line with proper club motorsport… ie cheap!!

Defo is good to get over to the big tracks!!

 

[Graham]

I am pretty sure i was chatting to a local racer about this seat guy last week, and he was for flying him to NI to do a seat for him. sounded like 200% customer support was available from the seat company.

yours not far off there, and it might be surprising how much difference a fitted seat will make to times.

 

[gixermark]

I am pretty sure i was chatting to a local racer about this seat guy last week, and he was for flying him to NI to do a seat for him. sounded like 200% customer support was available from the seat company.

yours not far off there, and it might be surprising how much difference a fitted seat will make to times.

cheers Graham..... yes the guy has fitted seats from F1 through to club stuff..... they are a great job (when done right) pretty much the entire Jedi/F1000 grid now use them as they give such good support... and are a lot comfier than the traditional foam seats.

hopefully it works out... and yes, hopefully if i can solely concentrate on driving and not holding myself in position... can keep nudging the times down too

 

[gixermark]

nervous excitement builds........

first round this wk end at Donington.... heading over with the family first thing Sunday morning....... hoping to get a seat fit done, then have two practice sessions in eth afternoon.

season is starting well for the class... highest number of entries yet - 28 of us on the grid !! quite a few have moved up to this class from the locost series (inc last years champion and runner up) so along with an already hot grid... will sure be interesting !!

Easter Monday here we come !!!

 

[PaulYDP]

Have a ball!!

Looking forward to catching the racing on the live stream, sure going to be frantic with those numbers but should be great racing.

 

[gixermark]

Have a ball!!

Looking forward to catching the racing on the live stream, sure going to be frantic with those numbers but should be great racing.

cheers man !! lets hope its not like SIM racing

 

[FM155]

Great stuff, Dony is such a great track with the elevation changes and off camber corners, proper challenge although the back straight will be loooooong in something with that power lol.
Best of luck for the weekend!

 

[Father Stack]

Do you find the SIM has helped any with learning the circuits? Looks like incredible fun, I wish you all the best with it! Will try and catch some of the live stream.

 

[gixermark]

Well, first round done…..

Did an afternoon test day on Sunday…. Got into the groove on first session…. From what we could gather I was just over a second off the guys at the pointy end…. So felt good… and knew I had a tiny bit more… 2nd session was red flagged… twice, total joke, and really no clean running… so had no idea of changes worked… but got new tyres scrubbed in.

Qualy on Monday was wet, and I struggled big time with mid corner understeer…. Steep learning curve in these cars on narrow road tyres…. And no LSD, will take a while to adapt and learn……

Qual. 24th out of 29 in class….

Race 1 (wet) I got a great start and got to 13th by end of lap1 which was then red flagged…. Reverted to 24th for restart…. Good race, finished 17th.

Race 2 (patchy/dry) started 23rd, and had a great race… and made it up to ~13th and on last lap I made a move for 12th…… and two guys in the same battle touched & and I ‘just’ nipped past to 10th……. Seems one front runner was disqualified for an infringement that promoted me to 9th.

Bit lucky in 2nd race…… but I’ll take my luck when I get it….

Fab series….. super competitive class of really good drivers

Roll on Thruxton 4th May

Do you find the SIM has helped any with learning the circuits? Looks like incredible fun, I wish you all the best with it! Will try and catch some of the live stream.

Hi mate, defo helps a bit…. Obv you know where/when you are turning etc… at Donnington stuff like the last corner into back straight… it’s blind on entry, but you need to turn before you see apex.. and just know you are aiming for a kerb… same on sim (obv) but you get some confidence from doing it a few times on sim.

For sure nothing beats seat time… and obv car set up etc… and you could get good idea on YouTube just watching videos… but the sim give more sorrow give and feel.