The ever popular Ginetta Junior Championship returns for 2011 as more budding young racing drivers take the next step in their Motorsport careers. Catering for 14-17 year old racers, the series always provides superb action as they race in identical Ginetta G40 Juniors.
2010 saw the Junior Championship grow into of the most popular series in British Motorsport, after fans witnessed a thrilling three way title battle between eventual winner Tom Ingram, Jake Hill and Louise Richardson.
The new season sees a couple of changes to the G40 Junior car the teenagers will compete in, with the introduction of a six-speed sequential gearbox and cut slick tyres.
Many peoples early favourite for the 2011 Championship is Hillspeed's Seb Morris. The 15 year old made his car racing debut in the series last year and he improved throughout the season, ending up with his maiden podium finish at the penultimate round at Donington Park. Morris went on to win November's Winter Series at Pembrey and he's told TCF that his eyes are firmly set on championship glory.
Also returning for a second season and looking to win the championship is Yorkshireman Max Coates. Another debutant in 2010, he picked up a best finish of sixth at Brands Hatch on his way to eleventh in the championship. The 17 year old wants to step up a level this season and has told TCF he is looking to win as many races as possible and take the championship.
Another driver expected to be up at the front in 2011 is Tom Howard, who returns to the series with Tollbar. The Dereham-based driver competed in the first half of 2010 with TJ Motorsport, winning at Rockingham and picking up two other podiums, before moving to Tollbar and securing another podium finish on his way to fifth in the championship.
Other drivers staying in the series and looking to push forward this season areJake Giddings (FML), Brad Bailey (TJ Motorsport) and William Foster(Tollbar). 2010 was Giddings' second season in the series, while Bailey and Foster were competing in the Juniors for the first time and the trio finished thirteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth respectively.
Two drivers to look out for in 2011 will be Niall Murray and Sennan Fielding. Murray joins the series as a prize for taking the inaugural Ginetta Junior Ireland championship in 2010, while Fielding enters as the reigning Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner.
Narrowly missing out on the Scholarship was Myles Collins, who moves up to the Ginetta Series after competing in the Saxmax Championship in 2010, in which he won the rookie championship. The 16 year old told TCF he wants to end the year as the top rookie in the series.
After making his series debut at last year's finale at Brands Hatch, Mikey Day is returning for a full campaign with the HHC Motorsport team. He will be joined at the team by series rookie Charlie Robertson, who at just 14, will be the youngest driver on the grid.
Also set to make their Ginetta Junior debuts this season are Declan Jones,racing for his dad's Kelvin Jones Motorsport team, Hillspeed's Struan Moore, Rollcentre Racing's Eric Morris and former karter George Gamble.