by Geoff Mayes
Despite crashing out whilst leading their class on the Quinton Stages last weekend, Ginetta G20 GTR duo Marcel Freling and Karen Robinson were still able to draw positives from the event.
The day began well when sunshine graced the competitors, making a welcome change from the incessant rainfall experienced countrywide in the preceding days.
With new suspension fitted to the car, Freling found that the high speed stability was greatly improved and was even able to take the car to its maximum speed on Stage 4, Caeo, taking a massive 32 seconds out of anyone else in his class.
Entering Stage 5, the second run through a famous Wales Rally GB stage known as ‘Halfway' the Ginetta was holding a comfortable 2 and a half minute lead over their nearest class rival but barely a mile in it all went wrong.
“We just lost the back end under braking for a corner,” explained Freling. “The rear end came around and we slid off into a ditch and then rolled over onto our roof. We did manage to get the little car back onto her wheels but the front left hub was damaged in the impact, otherwise we could have carried on.”
In fact, considering the speed of the impact the unique rear wheel drive Ginetta emerged from its first ever rallying crash remarkably undamaged. Apart from the front hub and a cracked windscreen the damage was limited to panel damage, proving once and for all that not only is the Ginetta a fun car to drive but it is also incredibly safe as well.
LNT Motorsport will now strip the Ginetta down to ensure that the structural strength has not been compromised before re-prepping the car ahead of the next event, the Woodpecker Stages on September 1.
![Marcel Freling and Karen Robinson - Ginetta G20 GTR [Pic credit: Geoff Mayes Media / www.geoffmayesmedia.com]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/347697.jpg)
