Ginetta Junior Championship

The Ginetta Junior Championship is a British one-make junior motor racing championship organised around Ginetta sports cars. It is designed as an entry-level car racing series for young drivers moving from karting into circuit racing, with eligibility centred on drivers aged 14 to 17. From the 2010 season, the championship has used the Ginetta G40, having previously used the Ginetta G20. In 2026, SRO Motorsports Group took over operational management of the series.

The championship has acted as a development category for drivers who later progressed into touring cars, GT racing, single-seaters and international motorsport. Alumni include Lando Norris, Tom Ingram, Jamie Chadwick, Tom Gamble, Dan Harper, Luke Browning and Freddie Slater.

Race format

The championship is a one-make series, with drivers competing in Ginetta-built junior racing cars. Race meetings usually consist of multiple races across a race weekend. The 2025 sporting regulations state that each driver's fastest qualifying lap determines the grid for race one, while the second-fastest qualifying lap determines the grid for race two. Where a third race is scheduled, the grid is formed from the finishing order of race two.

Cars

The championship originally used the Ginetta G20, before switching to the Ginetta G40 from the 2010 season. The G40 Junior uses a sealed 1.8-litre Ford Zetec engine, a sealed Quaife six-speed sequential gearbox, a T45 tubular chassis and integral safety cage built to FIA standards, and controlled Pirelli road tyres.

History

The championship began in 2005 and became one of Ginetta's main junior racing categories in the United Kingdom. The series initially used the Ginetta G20 before the Ginetta G40 was introduced for the 2010 season. Over time, the championship became established as a pathway for drivers graduating from karting into circuit racing.

The 2025 season was the championship's 20th anniversary season, during which the series reached its 500th race.

In 2026, operational management of the championship moved to SRO Motorsports Group, as part of a wider change to Ginetta's UK one-make racing structure.

Scholarship

The Ginetta Junior Scholarship is an annual selection process associated with the championship. The competition assesses young drivers across areas including on-track driving, media and communication skills, and fitness. The winner receives support towards a season in the Ginetta Junior Championship, including championship entry, use of a G40 Junior Evo, insurance, tyres, fuel and professional car preparation.

Development pathway and racing families

The Ginetta Junior Championship has been used as an early car-racing category by drivers who later progressed into single-seaters, touring cars, GT racing, endurance racing and international motorsport. Ginetta has highlighted the series as part of the early careers of drivers including Lando Norris, Tom Ingram, Jamie Chadwick, Tom Gamble, Luke Browning, Freddie Slater and Abbi Pulling.

The championship has also featured drivers from established motorsport families. Ginetta reported in 2026 that descendants of three Formula One world champions had competed in the series: Henry Surtees, son of John Surtees; Josh Hill, son of Damon Hill and grandson of Graham Hill; and Enzo Fittipaldi, grandson of Emerson Fittipaldi.

Other drivers whose family backgrounds were noted by Ginetta include Will Palmer, son of former Formula One driver Jonathan Palmer; Sebastian Priaulx, son of touring car champion Andy Priaulx; Louis Foster, son of former British Touring Car Championship driver Nick Foster; and Rocco Coronel, son of touring car driver Tom Coronel and racing driver Paulien Zwart.

Champions

Season Drivers' champion Champion's team Winter Series winner Scholarship winner 2005 Toby Newton 2006 James Harrison 2007 Nigel Moore Hepworth International Kieran Vernon 2008 Dino Zamparelli Muzz Racing Josh Hill 2009 Sarah Moore Tockwith Motorsport Aaron Williamson 2010 Tom Ingram Hillspeed Seb Morris 2011 Seb Morris Hillspeed George Gamble Sennan Fielding 2012 Charlie Robertson HHC Motorsport Harry Woodhead Oli Basey-Fisher 2013 Harry Woodhead HHC Motorsport James Kellett Jamie Chadwick 2014 Jack Mitchell JHR Developments Jamie Caroline Alex Sedgwick 2015 Jamie Caroline HHC Motorsport Stuart Middleton Stuart Middleton 2016 Will Tregurtha HHC Motorsport Sebastian Priaulx Daniel Harper 2017 Tom Gamble JHR Developments / Elite Motorsport Adam Smalley Adam Smalley 2018 Adam Smalley Elite Motorsport James Hedley James Taylor 2019 James Hedley Elite Motorsport James Taylor Ethan Brooks 2020 Tom Lebbon Elite Motorsport Cancelled Tom Lebbon 2021 Aston Millar R Racing Josh Rowledge Maurice Henry Robert de Haan 2022 Josh Rowledge R Racing Freddie Slater Alisha Palmowski 2023 Freddie Slater R Racing Jude Peters 2024 Ethan Jeff-Hall R Racing Isaac Phelps Fred Green 2025 Rocco Coronel R Racing Jesse Phillips Devon Hagelen

Notable alumni

The following drivers competed in the Ginetta Junior Championship and later achieved notable results in national or international motor racing. The series has been described by Ginetta and motorsport publications as an early development category for drivers who later progressed into Formula One, IndyCar, touring cars, GT racing and endurance racing.

Year Driver Ginetta Junior result Later notable achievements 2008 Dino Zamparelli Champion Three-time Porsche Carrera Cup GB runner-up 2010 Tom Ingram Champion 2022 and 2025 British Touring Car Championship champion Jake Hill Runner-up 2024 British Touring Car Championship champion 2011 Seb Morris Champion 2017 British GT3 champion Sennan Fielding Scholarship-class winner 2022 British GT4 champion George Gamble Winter Series champion 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain champion 2012 Charlie Robertson Champion 2015 ELMS LMP3 champion 2013 Jamie Chadwick Scholarship-class winner 2015 British GT4 champion; three-time W Series champion 2014 Jack Mitchell Champion 2018 British GT4 champion Lando Norris Rookie-class champion 2016 Autosport BRDC Award winner; 2025 Formula One World Champion 2016 Jamie Caroline Champion 2017 British F4 and 2020 British GT4 champion Dan Harper Rookie-class champion 2019 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and 2023 British GT3 champion 2017 Tom Gamble Champion 2018 Autosport BRDC Award winner; 2020 ELMS LMP3 champion Sebastian Priaulx Runner-up 2019 British GT4 runner-up; 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America champion Kiern Jewiss Rookie-class champion 2018 British F4 and 2022 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain champion 2018 Adam Smalley Champion 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain and 2024 British GT3 Silver-Am champion Louis Foster Runner-up 2024 Indy NXT champion; 2025 IndyCar Series driver Luke Browning Third place 2022 Autosport BRDC Award winner; 2022 GB3 champion; 2023 Macau Grand Prix winner Abbi Pulling 21st 2024 F1 Academy champion; first female winner in the F4 British Championship 2019 Zak O'Sullivan Runner-up 2021 Autosport BRDC Award winner; 2021 GB3 champion 2020 Tom Lebbon Champion 2024 GT4 European Series champion Josh Rattican Runner-up 2024 GT4 European Series champion 2021 Robert de Haan Rookie-class champion 2023 Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux champion Callum Voisin Sixth place 2023 GB3 Championship champion 2023 Freddie Slater Champion 2024 Italian F4 champion; 2024 Euro 4 runner-up; 2025 FRECA champion

Ginetta Junior Championship

Bron en licentie