GINETTA G-FEST 2024

This weekend Ginetta Cars ventures to the wonderful and picturesque setting of Anglesey Circuit in North Wales, right on the coast of the Irish Sea as it get set for its special Ginetta G-Fest race event. All three factory championships are in attendance with no less than four races for each, plus on-track demonstrations to provide further entertainment.

The Ginetta Junior Championship is already seeing a three way fight for the top spot as we approach the end of the first half of the season. Henry Joslyn’s two wins at Donington last time out helped him hold a six point lead heading to Wales and is in good form having not finished outside the top five to date this season. 

Second placed Charlie Hart, by contrast, didn’t have quite the same fortunes and has his five P2 finishes in a row to thank for helping him retain the current runner-up spot (hence being dubbed “Second Place Charlie” by the commentators!). Chase Fernandez rounds off the top three some 19 points off the lead, but also fresh off the back of his first Ginetta Junior win at Donington too. With a quartet of races, Anglesey provides ample opportunity to add to that tally.

The next three drivers have also stood on the top step at least one this year so far, but had to endure a rough patch in form at Donington Park. Isaac Phelps has been winless since his double at the Oulton Park season opener, while Ethan Jeff-Hall and Marcus Saeter have one each from Silverstone. Phelps and Saeter did both score a third place at Donington, but fortunes went against them in other races that weekend while Jeff-Hall couldn’t better a fourth place. Anglesey will be a chance for them to get back on the horse and back to winning ways.

Keep an eye out for Archie Clark, James Shotton and Ruben Dan, too, as each of them have also appeared in the top five at least once this year and could cause a surprise or two if the opportunity arises.

This season’s Ginetta GT Academy has been all about the Rookie class which has seen its drivers win every single race to date this season outright. Harry Gamble only has the one to his name from eight races, but plenty of consistent results have allowed him to lead the Rookie standings, while the revelation of the class so far is James Nicholas. The Palmer Sport Scholarship winner has won three times already and trails Gamble by 16 points, but has looked impressive in every single race he’s driven. Watch for him to challenge for more victories this weekend.

Luke Shaw and Mike Taylor are two drivers who have also been victorious this season, with Shaw’s first win coming at Donington while Taylor took his back at Oulton Park in April. Despite a DNF in race one, Taylor’s Donington meeting was rather fruitful with two podiums and Shaw also claimed a second place in race two, so both will definitely be up for the fight if they can be on the pace from the outset. Gareth Thomas currently completes the top five with a sole third place from Oulton to his name so far, while Thomas Balfe has remained a consistent presence around the top five.

In the GT Academy class itself, Julian Wantling enjoys an eleven point advantage over Marc Elman in second with the pair essentially trading dominance of the season. Wantling won the first four races on the bounce, but that streak was halted by Elman at Silverstone when the momentum swung in his favour. Marc has won three of the last four races and remains Julian’s closest rival. There’s also an inter-family battle going on for third between Amy and Emma Tomlinson, separated by just three points and ahead of Donington winner Mike West in fifth place.

Over in the Ginetta GT Championship, it’s mainly been all about Mckenzie Douglass who has five wins so far this year including the double last time at Donington and he now heads the table by 21 points. He’s been a constant feature on the podium in every race with a second place and two thirds his other results so far, and another giant points haul is on offer at Anglesey.

The races he’s had to miss out on victory for have instead been shared between the rapid brothers Luke and Conner Garlick. The pair have enjoyed a healthy rivalry between each other at all three weekends so far, and it’s Luke that holds second with a Silverstone victory along with six second places ahead of Conner with two of his own. One of them was his “last to first” drive at Silverstone on slicks on a drying track while the rest of the field stayed on wets – could any unpredictable conditions play in his favour again too?

That’s the top three in the Pro class, and over in the Am category it’s a complete domination by Raceway Motorsport. They currently hold first, second and third in the standings with Nick White by far and away the dominant leader. Only once has he failed to win a race this year and that went to Matt Shaw, who is no less than 97 points off the lead and will need to make the most of Anglesey’s four races to try and at least minimise any further extension of White’s lead. Peter Mangion completes the top three, a constant Am class podium finisher since he joined in at Silverstone.

Written by Scott Woodwiss