Ginetta Announces Their First Single-Make Endurance Event
Ginetta have announced that their first single-make endurance event, the ‘Ginetta GT Winter Cup’ will take place in the November this year.
The Ginetta GT Winter Cup will be held at the new Snetterton 300 track in Norfolk over the weekend of the 5th/6th November and will feature a 30 minute qualifying session and two 2hour endurance races. It will be open to either one or two driver teams and also feature two mandatory pit stops.
The best thing about the Ginetta GT Winter Cup is that it is available to all current Ginetta models to participate. There will be a four tier class system, consisting of: G40s, G50s, G55s and an ‘all-comers’ open class for Ginettas competing in GT racing across the world.
This combination of Ginettas ranging from GT Supercup, Challenge grids and Ginetta GT Racers from across the globe means that it is the first one-make endurance race, and Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson thinks it’s a great idea:
“This will be Ginetta’s first one-make endurance race and a great opportunity to amalgamate the Supercup and Challenge grids creating the first Ginetta GT Endurance Championship. Ginetta Teams and drivers who have never done endurance racing will experience the mandatory pit stop, refuelling and driver changes common in GT endurance racing at all levels.
“It will be fantastic to see all of our championships and GT drivers/teams from GT4/GT3, and international series’, together in the same paddock for the first time. We want to push the Ginetta GT career ladder further so endurance racing is an important step and something we may look to do more of in the future.”
As a foundation for the Ginetta GT Winter Cup, the next rounds of the GT Supercup at Rockingham will have a slight change to its format. Rather than having three 20 minute races, they will instead be replaced by a sprint race, two races of 30 minutes, and a pit stop race which will include a mandatory two wheel change. The season finale at Silverstone will also include a similar extended race and pit stop format.
On the same weekend as the Ginetta GT Winter Cup, the ‘Junior Winter Series’ will also be taking place. This will consist of a 15 minute qualifying session and four 20 minute races. The Junior Winter Series has proven to be extremely successful in the past, with previous winners being Josh Hill in 2008, Aaron Williamson in 2009 and Current Ginetta Junior Championship point’s leader Seb Morris in 2010.
Talking about the Winter Series, Tomlinson added: “The Junior Winter Series is an excellent prospect for 14 – 17yr old drivers looking to get into motorsport for the first time, or step up from karting, to drive a race car at one of the UK’s most prestigious circuits.”
“For older Juniors exiting the Ginetta Junior Championship this year, the senior GT Winter Series will be a great opportunity for anyone looking to progress their careers to try a bigger car alongside existing Supercup drivers, it will also offer a great entry point for licence holders looking to enter the GT Supercup Championship in 2012.”
Photo Credit: Jakob Ebrey
Becki Mitchell
