It’s all set up to be a blockbuster finale to the 2025 Ginetta GT Academy season this weekend (04-05 October), with no less than eight drivers heading to Donington Park with a chance of title glory.
A bumper weekend of competition for the GT Academy contenders will see them contest four races around the Donington Park Grand Prix circuit, with the addition of the postponed race from Brands Hatch last time out.
It could hardly be closer at the top of the GTA class standings heading into the event, with E3 Sport team-mates Jamie Caudle and James Nicholas split by just a single point. They’re joined by outside contender Charlie Digby (MDD Racing) in a three-way battle for GTA glory.
Caudle has sat at the top of the standings since Silverstone back in April, having built up his points tally with five race victories. Nicholas has stayed hot on his heels throughout though and closed the gap between them by winning each of the last three races.
Digby has been right in the mix throughout as well, ever since scoring a brilliant double win here at Donington Park in the season opener. The top three have all produced remarkably consistent campaigns, ensuring it is all to play for as they battle it out to become champion this weekend.
In the championship’s rookie class, five drivers go into the final round with a shot at title glory. Sam Shrimpton (W2R) and Shiv Sapra (Paradine by Xentek) have been the pace-setters this year, but the consistent W2R trio of Joe Edge, Allan Wright and Damien Duffy are right in the mix too.
Shrimpton holds the advantage once dropped scores are applied, having accumulated five class victories and nine podium finishes across the campaign so far. Sapra boosted his title aspirations with a perfect hat-trick at Snetterton recently, taking his win tally to six for the season.
After missing Brands Hatch last time out, Edge returns to the grid looking to add to his class victories at Silverstone and Oulton Park so far. Wright is on an impressive run of eight consecutive podium finishes and has a maiden win in his sights, as does two-time podium-finisher Duffy.
Outside of the title contenders, there is a bumper grid of drivers who will be hoping to make their mark this weekend and end their season on a high note. In the GTA class, that includes Peter Thompson (W2R) who has scored a best result of sixth overall on four occasions.
Lucie Hodgson (W2R), Robin Grimwood (E3 Sport), Phil McGarty (Xentek Motorsport) and Lexie Belk (Privateer) have all scored top ten finishes through the campaign, while Chris Babington (SVG Motorsport), Ben Cooke (W2R) and Gilbert Verdian (SVG Motorsport) have been on the cusp of that milestone.
2024 GTA class champion Julian Wantling makes a welcome return to the grid this weekend, while Ash Young (Performance One) and Faye Goff (W2R) make their championship debuts in the GTA and rookie classes respectively.
Follow the action across the weekend on social media, @GinettaCars.
Provisional Timetable:
Saturday 04 October: Qualifying 09:10; Race One 14:42
Sunday 05 October: Race Two 09:40; Race Three 12:16; Race Four 18:01
All four races will be streamed live on Ginetta’s YouTube channel, while live timing and results will be available via TSL Timing.
