Multiple Ginetta GT Academy title-winning team W2R have confirmed four more drivers for the 2026 season, with returning drivers Allan Wright and Damien Duffy joined by debutants Luis Beilicke and Joe Ostholthoff.
Wright and Duffy were two of the leading lights in the rookie class in the GT Academy last season with W2R. Consistent campaigns meant they both headed into the Donington Park season finale still in contention for the class title.
Wright ultimately finished third in the final class standings after accumulating a brilliant tally of ten podium finishes across the season, while Duffy made a couple of trips to the podium en-route to a top five points finish.
Allan Wright: “After surviving my first season with only minor embarrassment and a lot of learning, I’m back for my second season armed with a little more experience, a little more confidence, and hopefully a little more speed. I have a competitive streak, plenty of determination and I’m aiming to move further up the grid this year. Maybe even bring home a trophy or two!”
Damien Duffy: “I’m looking forward to getting back behind the wheel in the Ginetta GT Academy this season and building on what I learnt in the championship last year.”
Beilicke is a professional sim racer making the jump to real-life competition for his car-racing debut this year. The German-born driver, who is rated in the top 0.1% on iRacing, impressed behind the wheel of a Ginetta G56 GTA to become the latest winner of PT Autosport’s Aspiring Driver Shootout back in November.
Fellow USA-based driver Ostholthoff will make his Ginetta debut with previous experience in single-seater competition under his belt. The 24-year-old tackled two part-campaigns in the Formula 4 US Championship and now makes the transition to GT racing.
Luis Beilicke: “I’m incredibly excited to drive in the Ginetta GT Academy in my first-ever racing season this year. Stepping into such a competitive field is a huge challenge, and exactly the kind of opportunity I’ve been working towards.
“I’m proud to represent the SimRacers and PT Autosport on track, and I can’t wait to bring everything I’ve learned from sim racing into real-world competition. I’m ready to push hard, learn fast, and prove myself against high-level competition this season.”
Joe Ostholthoff: “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining the Ginetta UK grid for the 2026 season. This is a massive step forward in my career, and one that means the world to me. Ginetta has such a rich history in British motorsport – the competition is fierce, the racing is close, and honestly, that’s exactly the environment I thrive in.
“My whole journey has been about proving myself against the best, and this is the next chapter of that. I know my dad would have loved to see this moment. He’s the reason I’m here, and every lap I turn, I’m carrying him with me. I can’t wait to get to work with the team, get up to speed with the car, and show everyone what I’m capable of. 2026 is going to be a big year – I’m ready for it.”
The Ginetta GT Academy gives drivers of all experience levels the opportunity to enjoy entry level GT racing. The series offers an uncompromising package of high-performance racing at an affordable cost, with the exposure of competing on British GT Championship events.
