GINETTA FLIES INTO DONINGTON PARK FOR SECOND VISIT OF 2024
The end of the 2024 season for Ginetta’s trio of factory championships is getting closer and this weekend they’re all out in force again on the British GT Championship support package. It’s a second visit of the year to Donington Park’s full GP circuit, with titles still very much up for grabs across the board.
The young racing stars of the Ginetta Junior Championship arrive back at Donington off the back of some of their best racing so far this season on Silverstone’s National circuit, and with each of the top three drivers in the standings taking a win each. Ethan Jeff-Hall’s lead at the top stands at 49 points and he’ll be keen to add more victories to the six taken so far in 2024. While Ethan’s lead is pretty substantial with two meetings left, it’s also looking tight in the fight for second behind him. Charlie Hart finally saw the chequered flag first and took his inaugural Ginetta Junior win at Silverstone, and this has helped him hold a nine point advantage over third placed Chase Fernandez.
Fernandez was victorious on the first Donington Park visit, as was fourth placed Henry Joslyn who had a rough Silverstone event and will want to get back into contention for victory this weekend on the return leg to Donington. Marcus Saeter and Isaac Phelps have also taken wins, ensuring the top six in the championship have all stood on the top step at least once in 2024, while Archie Clark continues to quest for that first victory from seventh in the standings. Watch out for the likes of Ruben Dan, James Shotton, Tom Ingram Hill and Alfie Slater among others too.
It’s been quite an extended break for both of the senior level Ginetta GT series, with the Ginetta GT Academy sporting one of its largest entries of the year as it reaches just shy of 20 cars. As has been the case all season, it’s the Rookie Class drivers that continue to dominate the overall pace. The enthralling three way duel between Mike Harris, Palmer Sport Scholarship winner James Nicholls and Harry Gamble looks set to continue with the trio covered by 12 points at this stage, but watch for double Snetterton winner Thomas Balfe who is back on the grid and hoping to add more to his tally.
Over in the main GT Academy class, Julian Wantling continues to hold the advantage but has now gone four races in a row without a class win. This has helped the likes of Mark Elman and Emma Tomlinson back into contention, although with a gap just shy of 30 points to second place, Wantling still has a buffer that needs to be maintained. Getting back to the top step will certainly do him no harm.
The Ginetta GT Championship has also continued to see domination by Mckenzie Douglass, the Pro class leader who has won no fewer than eleven times throughout 2024 including a perfect hat-trick last time out at Snetterton. Even though brothers Luke and Conner Garlick are second and third respectively, they are 87 and 123 points off the lead respectively, meaning it’s increasingly a case of when, rather than if, Douglass seals the crown. Harry Mangion could also be a dark horse for a solid result.
There’s been identical fortunes for Am class leader Nick White, who goes into Donington Park more than 200 points ahead of Matt Shaw in second place, meaning the title is effectively all but sealed. This leaves the duel for runner up spot between Shaw and Peter Mangion, the former sure to have the pace to remain in front, while Callum Noble also joins the supporting cast.
Also watch out on the grid for guest drivers Alex Toth-Jones, Gracie Mitchell, Joshua McLean and Paolo Buccini, plus Ginetta Junior graduate Alfie Davies makes his debut in the Pro class this weekend too.
Written by Scott Woodwiss
