The Ginetta GT Academy reached a milestone moment at Croft last weekend, with the final race of the event being the 100th in the history of the championship.
The championship was launched back in 2021, with the intention of providing a new entry-level route into GT racing. Aiming to attract complete motorsport novices and drivers with previous racing experience, it offered an uncompromising package of high-performance racing at an affordable cost.
“Back during COVID, we wanted a new category aimed at amateur drivers, new into racing, offering a fun weekend of racing,” explained Mike Simpson, Ginetta CEO. “We wanted a specification of car that was a lower level and simpler to run, but still giving drivers the feelings and sensations you want to have whilst gaining the experience to develop your skills on track.
“We came back after the lockdowns and hit the ground running. We looked at our target market, who can we bring in to the sport; new amateur drivers who want to enjoy their racing but only commit to a five or six weekends a season. In year one we had a great group of drivers, a close-knit paddock, and we’ve seen the likes of Darren Leung, Ravi Ramyead and Angus Whiteside go on and enjoy great careers. The GT Academy has continued to flourish from there.”
The GT Academy immediately made its mark with an impressive grid of 18 identical Ginetta G56 GTA’s for the first race on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. Entry numbers held up well throughout the inaugural campaign, with an average of 17 cars across the 15 races.
The GT Academy produced a record-high grid of 30 cars the next year at the Silverstone season opener. The series has consistently produced healthy entries since, becoming a staple part of the British GT Championship support package and becoming renowned for its close, entertaining racing.
“The Ginetta GT Academy has established itself as one of the most important championships in British motorsport,” said Kelly Robertson, Ginetta UK Championships Manager. “It offers an entry point into GT racing for new drivers of all ages on a high-profile race package.
“The quality of the product is clear to see, with an established, well developed car, professional teams running them and brilliant racing on circuit, combined with a friendly, welcoming paddock. No other championship in the UK can offer the full package at an affordable level like the GT Academy.”
A key component in the championship’s strength is the Ginetta G56 GTA. The same specification of car has been utilised throughout the five-year run of the series to date, with the challenging but forgiving nature of the car ensuring it’s a perfect development tool for drivers making their first step into GT racing.
“It is still a tricky car to drive though, especially having always run on road tyres. The limit of the car is the tyre and the car moves around a lot. This leads to pretty good, close racing. The Ginetta GT Academy is your foundation as a driver and as a team. A proper product, easy to run, good to drive, learn your trade, come and have some fun.”
“The Ginetta G56 GTA is really good for this level of driver,” Simpson expanded. “There are no driver assists, so everything is your input. If you make a mistake, just like the Ginetta Junior car, you know exactly what happened and quickly learn what’s right and what’s wrong.
Almost 90 different drivers have raced in the championship so far, with a large number of those launching their racing careers in the process. A number of GT Academy graduates have gone on to achieve success further up the Ginetta UK Championships ladder, or further afield in GT racing.
Darren Leung leads the way, having competed at the highest-levels of GT3 racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship and GT World Challenge Europe. Angus Whiteside and Marc Warren have also stepped up to GT3 competition, while Ravi Ramyead and Thomas Holland are amongst those enjoying success in GT4 racing.
“It’s been fantastic to see drivers use the GT Academy platform, develop their skills and make steps forward on track, before going on and enjoying fantastic careers in GT racing,” enthused Robertson.
“Darren Leung is the standout graduate of course. His progression to the highest levels of GT3 competition has been a joy to watch, while seeing Marc Warren moving up the ladder, becoming a British GT4 champion and now taking his first steps in GT3 racing is equally satisfying.
“Alongside them, we’ve had a number of former GT Academy drivers making their mark in GT4 and one-make GT racing in the UK and abroad. To see such a diverse group of graduates progressing in their careers is brilliant and a testament to the driver development opportunities provided by the championship.”
As the GT Academy continues to play a key role in British motorsport, Ginetta have also been expanding the concept overseas. A move into North America started in 2023, with a full championship with G56 GTA’s running successfully there, while a Ginetta Cup France class for the cars has been added to the Championnat de France FFSA GT grid for 2026.
In the UK, the 2026 Ginetta GT Academy season continues over the weekend of 15/16 August with three races at Snetterton in Norfolk as part of the next domestic British GT Championship event.
