Former champions Elite Motorsport have signed rookie contenders Vladislav Tomenchuk, Harrison Mackie and Dani Oliver to their squad for the 2026 Ginetta Junior Championship.
The three young talents join Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner Devon Hagelen in Elite’s line-up for the 2026 season, with the Norfolk-based squad embarking on their 12th consecutive season in the championship with the ambition of adding to their four drivers’ and three teams’ titles earned to date.
Tomenchuk will be tackling his first full season of Ginetta Junior racing after making his debut towards the end of 2025. The 15-year-old, who has joint British / Ukrainian citizenship, contested the final round at Donington Park and then the Winter Series, scoring a best result of 13th overall.
Vladislav Tomenchuk: “My aim for 2026 is to have a strong season in the Ginetta Junior Championship and continue developing as a driver in a highly competitive environment. 2025 was an important learning curve for me. Driving a car was a big step for me and it was important to learn how a car works and understand the fundamentals.
“Every step I take is about progression – same goal, bigger challenge. Each season is a new challenge and I’m focused on improving, learning and performing at the highest level possible. I chose Elite because of their professional environment and their ability to provide me with the best possible support going into the 2026 season.”
Ed Ives, Elite Motorsport: “We’re very pleased to be working with Vlad as he steps up to his first full season in the Ginetta Junior Championship with Elite Motorsport. He showed real commitment and progress during his initial car racing outings last year and in the Winter Series, which has given him a solid foundation to build on.
“Vlad has a strong mindset towards development and improvement and his approach to learning has impressed the whole team. With a full season ahead of him, we’re confident he’ll continue to grow in confidence and performance in what is a highly competitive championship.”
Mackie is graduating to car-racing following a hugely-successful karting career. The Suffolk-based 15-year-old had a standout 2024 campaign, winning the IAME Euro Series X30, British Kart Championship X30 Junior and GP Kartmasters titles, and claimed multiple race wins at Senior level last year.
Harrison Mackie: ““My aim is to be a race winner in 2026 but equally as important is for me to grow as a racing driver and a person. I want to learn and keep learning and to be consistent, performing at the highest level throughout the season. For most of my karting career I raced with Fusion Motorsport, through the ups and the downs they became family, not just a race team. It is important for me to achieve this moving into cars.
“Speed is of course important but equally essential is who you surround yourself with. Meeting Ed [Ives], I was encouraged by his knowledge and enthusiasm for racing and supporting his drivers. His focus not only on my season ahead and the right steps to take but also my future beyond 2026 and how Elite Motorsport could support me. I quickly felt at home with Elite, not only with the team but in the car.”
Ed Ives, Elite Motorsport: ““We’re delighted to welcome Harrison to Elite Motorsport as he makes the step into car racing with us in Ginetta Juniors. His karting record speaks for itself but what’s impressed us just as much is his attitude, maturity and clear desire to keep learning and developing.
“Harrison had already settled into the team extremely well and looked very comfortable in the car from the outset, which is always a great sign. Ginetta Juniors is a step up but we believe he has all the tools to adapt quickly and build a strong foundation for his future in motorsport. We’re excited to support him through this next phase of his career as part of the Elite family.”
Oliver joins his new team-mate in making the step up to car-racing for 2026. The 14-year-old Spaniard won the Madrid Karting Championship in 2023 and was a podium-finisher in the Spanish Karting Championship last year, before reaching the final day of the hotly-contested Ginetta Junior Scholarship back in October.
Dani Oliver: “I’m genuinely excited about the chance to race on some of the most iconic and historic circuits in the UK by competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship. It’s a fantastic opportunity for my development as a driver and an experience I know I’ll always value. Competing on these tracks will be both a challenge and a privilege. My main goal is to consistently finish within the top-five and to be in a position to fight for podiums and victories as the season progresses.
“Competing for the overall championship will of course be a major focus but securing the Rookie title is also a key objective for us as a team. I chose Elite because it’s a highly professional and well-structured team that I believe will give me the tools to fight for the championship and remain competitive throughout the entire season.”
Ed Ives, Elite Motorsport: “We’re delighted to welcome Dani to Elite Motorsport as he makes his transition from karting into car racing with us in Ginetta Junior Championship. He’s shown strong pace and consistency at both national and international levels in karting while his performances last season demonstrated real maturity.
“Moving into UK racing is a big step but Dani has already impressed us with his professionalism, work ethic and approach to learning. Ginetta Juniors is the ideal platform for his development and we’re confident he’ll adapt quickly and be a competitive force as the season progresses.”
The Ginetta Junior Championship is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious Junior series, offering the first step on the motorsport ladder for 14-17 year old racing drivers as they compete on the support bill for the British GT Championship.
