Can we improve our lap time at Rockingham by 8.9secs in our MK5 Golf ED30

Over the next few weeks and months we are going to be doing some videos on the stuff we get up to here at MDM Technik. Mainly we will be concentrating on 2.0TFSI based cars such as MK5 Golf GTI, ED30, MK6 Golf R, Audi S3 8P chassis and Scirocco R, seat Leon Cupra & Skoda Octavia vRS. We carry out a lot of 2.0TFSI tuning including remapping, HPFP internal upgrades, exhausts, intakes, big brake kits, suspension kits & turbo upgrades.

I have a MK5 Golf GTI ED30 which I recently took on a track day to Rockingham motor speedway track using the international long circuit which combines long straights, sweeping high-speed bends including the infamous Turn 1 and Gracelands and the lower speed, highly technical infield layout.

This layout is 2.05miles long and in my Golf, I lapped in 1.48.97 seconds which is terrible. I know it’s terrible as I raced in time attack and in my Seat Ibiza FR 1.8T with 245bhp which is 130bhp less than what I have in my Golf, I was 6.4secs quicker in the Seat Ibiza. Yes, my Ibiza was lighter, wider, had KW 2-way competition suspension, Dunlop 03G track tyres, Brembo 4 pot brakes, Wavetrac diff and loads more, my Golf has power, H&R lowering springs, Superpro lower arms, caster correction kit, roll centre ball joints, H&R rear anti roll bar, crap Toyo tyres and awesome Revo 355mm big brake kit.

The aim is to do a sub 1.40 lap in my Golf, driven there and driven back home. I am not going to install a roll cage, add lightweight glass, strip the interior down to nothing as its still going to be a daily car. I am not planning on adding large amounts more power, but I will be fitting a RPC motorsport inlet manifold along with Aquamist water methanol injection.

There was only one real issue with the car at Rockingham and that was heat. It was a warm day – 25deg but after 2 hot laps (which I could just about manage before tyres where completely off), the coolant temp was nearly 110 deg and it’s no fun trying to do fast lap times with the heating on full chat trying to keep engine temps under control. So, one of the first things will be getting the engine temp down, maybe a new larger alloy radiator, so If anyone wants to send me one to try-out and give feedback on, sent it my way.

I do have a shopping list of what I think will be required but I already have some parts which I have been buying over the last few months.

KW 3-way clubsport suspension

RS3 ali hubs

Superpro rear bush kit

Performance friction front pads

VW Racing 18” wheels – off my time attack car

Dunlop 03G track tyres 265/35R18 front tyres with 235/40R18 rear tyres – equates to same rolling radius. (need to buy rear tyres)

To accommodate the 265 section tyres at the front, I will require wider front arches. (need to buy)

The rear arches very very slightly flared (need to do)

Wavetrac diff

Bloody good supportive seat (need to buy)

6 point harness

If I was building a track car I would have started with the tyres, seat and diff and these 3 things alone can gain you large amounts of time. Tyres and diff are obvious, even on a low powered car a diff can still gain you a lot of time. The Seat, most standard seats are crap, even Golf GTI seats are not supportive enough and when trying to get a good lap time, the last thing you want is to be sliding from left to right while trying to grip hold of the steering wheel.

First thing we are going to do is weigh the car to get the weight distribution and see what we can move about easily without too much compromising.

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