Ginetta have announced their new single-make endurance event for this winter, the Ginetta GT Winter Cup. Taking place on the Snetterton 300 circuit on November 5/6, the event will be open to all current Ginetta models.
The event will feature a 30 minute qualifying session followed by two 2hr endurance races. There will be a four tier class system in place, made up of G40's, G50's, G55's and an 'all-comers' open class for Ginetta's competing in GT racing across the globe.
The event will combine the Ginetta GT Supercup and Ginetta Challenge grids for the first time and will be open to either one or two driver teams, featuring two mandatory timed pit stops. The prizes for the series are still to be announced.
Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson said: “This will be Ginetta's first one-make endurance race and a great opportunity to amalgamate the Supercup and Challenge grids creating the first Ginetta GT Endurance Championship. Ginetta Teams and drivers who have never done endurance racing will experience the mandatory pit stop, refuelling and driver changes common in GT endurance racing at all levels
“It will be fantastic to see all of our championships and GT drivers/teams from GT4/GT3, and international series', together in the same paddock for the first time. We want to push the Ginetta GT career ladder further so endurance racing is an important step and something we may look to do more of in the future.”
The Winter Cup will run alongside the Ginetta Junior Winter Series, which returns for 2011. It will consist of a fifteen minute qualifying session followed by four twenty minute races. Previous winners include Josh Hill in 2008, current Ginetta GT Supercup driver Aaron Williamson in 2009 and current Ginetta Junior championship leader Seb Morris last year.
Tomlinson added: “The Junior Winter Series is an excellent prospect for 14 – 17yr old drivers looking to get into motorsport for the first time, or step up from karting, to drive a race car at one of the UK's most prestigious circuits.”
“For older Juniors exiting the Ginetta Junior Championship this year, the senior GT Winter Series will be a great opportunity for anyone looking to progress their careers to try a bigger car alongside existing Supercup drivers, it will also offer a great entry point for licence holders looking to enter the GT Supercup Championship in 2012.”
In preparation for the Winter Cup endurance event, the next GT Supercup outing at Rockingham will have a change in format. Instead of the usual three twenty minute races, Rockingham will host two extended races, thirty minutes in length, a sprint race on Saturday and a one pitstop race on Sunday, including a mandatory two wheel change. The season ending rounds at Silverstone will also run a similar extended-race pit stop format, details that will be confirmed at a later date.
