The Ginetta GT Academy is set to reach the milestone of 100 races this weekend (27/28 June), as the championship races at Croft for the first time with a packed grid of identical Ginetta G56 GTAs.
The final race of the four scheduled this weekend will be the landmark race for the entry-level GT championship, which started off life back in 2021. Since then, it’s had a hugely successful run and produced a number of talented alumni including Darren Leung, Marc Warren and Angus Whiteside.
The star of the show in 2026 so far has been Luis Beilicke. The German sim-racer, who joined the grid after winning PT Autosport’s Aspiring Driver Shootout in America, has been in dominant form on his way to five overall wins in a row to start the season.
Only a mechanical issue in the final race at Oulton Park last time out has denied him a potential victory clean sweep. Alongside his wins, he’s also topped every qualifying session so far this season and posted the fastest lap in four of the five races, ensuring he holds the points lead in the rookie class.
Benefitting from Beilicke’s misfortune at Oulton to take his first overall victory was Tom Walker. The E3 Sport ace laid down a marker in the GTA class with a perfect hat-trick that weekend to make it four wins in a row, putting him as the driver to beat in the class for more experienced racers.
The most recent rookie class win went the way of Ginetta newcomer Ian Beaumont meanwhile. It marked the latest highlight of a brilliant start to the season for the accomplished short oval racer, with a hat-trick of overall top three results and four rookie podiums so far with SVG Motorsport.
In the GTA class, a driver to watch this weekend will be Joe Ostholthoff. The American has been mightily impressive in his first season competing in the UK, securing a class victory in his debut Ginetta race at Silverstone and finishing on the podium in four of the five races to date.
Will Fallon has started strongly as the championship’s only privateer entrant, securing three GTA podium finishes so far. Connor Blackburn has joined him in the battles at the front of the field, with the Performance One Motorsport talent earning a maiden podium at Oulton.
In the GT Academy’s 100th race, Ginetta stalwart Robin Grimwood is set to clock up his 50th start in the championship. The E3 Sport driver will hope to celebrate with his first GTA podium of the season, likewise second year drivers and Want2Race team-mates Allan Wright and Damien Duffy.
Amongst those taking the fight to Beilicke and Beaumont in the rookie category have been Lucas Theo (SVG Motorsport) and Ben Wiseman (Want2Race). Both drivers have picked up three class podiums finishes, and will hope to be in the mix for breakthrough victories this weekend.
Performance One Motorsport racer Ash Young picked up his first rookie podium of 2026 in the final race at Oulton last time out. Faye Goff, sister of current Ginetta Junior championship leader Lewis, is targeting her first silverware of the season with Want2Race.
Follow @Ginetta_Motorsport on Instagram for all the latest updates across the weekend.
Provisional Timetable:
Saturday 27 June: Free Practice 09:30; Qualifying 11:00; Race One 13:20; Race Two 15:20
Sunday 28 June: Qualifying 13:30; Race Three 15:15; Race Four 17:15
All four races will be streamed live on SRO’s GT World YouTube channel, while live timing and results will be available via TSL Timing.
