WHY IS G IN ET TAG T 5 PROVING TO BE SUCH A HIT?
Popular series is boasting a stunning entry of top drivers and teams. by Stephen Lickorish
It really is quite some list of drivers. Often championships are incorrectly described as having a ‘strong’ entry, but that is genuinely the case for the Ginetta GT5 Challenge this year. And it’s all the more impressive when you consider it’s for a series that doesn’t always command a huge amount of attention.
Two Junior Saloon Car champions (Katie Milner and Will Dyrdal), a JSCC title contender (Gordie Mutch), a Fiesta Junior frontrunner (Josh Hislop), three Ginetta Junior graduates (Scott Mckenna, Connor Grady and Charlie Digby), a world and European karting champion (Brett Ward) and last year’s GT5 runner-up (Shane Stoney). That is surely the definition of a strong entry.
The list goes on far beyond those names too, with the grid close to being full. That may not be a surprise for a category that regularly boasts packed fields, but it is the quality of this year’s entry in particular that makes it stand out.
And it’s not just on the drivers front that it’s proving a hit. Some big and successful teams also compete too. You’ve got the likes of GT regulars Century Motorsport, Optimum Motorsport and Fox Motorsport, along with the racing arm of Ginetta’s trackday operators W2R Motorsport, and previous GT5 titlewinner Xentek Motorsport. And for this year, successful squad HHC Motorsport has decided to return for the first time since 2012.
So what’s the secret behind the series’ success?
Budget is certainly a key point, with entry fees a fraction of some of Ginetta’s other main championships. In fact, you don’t need to be part of a big team with many drivers racing as privateers. “The cars are really costeffective to run and it’s great fun to drive,” reckons Ginetta’s motorsport manager Ash Gallagher. “It’s possibly the most cost-effective way to get out in a rear-wheel-drive car in the UK. We’ve worked hard over the winter to make sure we’re talking to the right people and when you’ve got a good package it sells itself.”
Clearly it has done just that, with the rear-wheel-drive point being a significant one when it comes to attracting aspiring GT racers. Another factor that is often discussed is the calendar. The series is a regular on British GT’S support bill and joins it in making the trip to Spa. It also visits the Thruxton and Knockhill rounds of the British Touring Car Championship, benefiting from the huge trackside crowds and live television coverage that entails.
“I think that [BTCC rounds] has certainly helped – it’s a big draw,” says Gallagher.
HHC team boss Charlie Kemp agrees the calendar is a major factor in the series’ success.
“It goes hand in hand with British GT,” he says. “We’re effectively starting a little ladder and while you can be 16 to race in GT5, you can also be any age – so it gives a straight jump into GT cars which aren’t just for young professionals but also for gentlemen drivers. The car is a proven car and it’s a good bit of kit, on slick tyres, and on a really good package –the British GT package is going from strength to strength. It’s also significantly less rounds [seven] than a TOCA package.
“For a lot of people, 10 rounds is an awful lot, not just financially but in terms of being away from work and family. It’s got rounds on the TOCA package and it visits Spa too, so it’s the best of all worlds.”
That combination is proving particularly popular with junior racers. The series is not only attracting graduates from those series, but also drivers who could’ve remained in the far more expensive Ginetta Junior category for another year. But, as Kemp points out, it’s not just for the very young with the Am class catering for older racers too.
GT5 is also renowned for its close competition and can be a good starting point for those making the transition from karts. Ward has won numerous titles in karting, but despite being 20 years old now, has never raced a car.
“It’s a great step up from karts,” he says. “There’s a great window of opportunity to advance in the future and maybe go to GT4 or other forms of Ginetta.
“I was committed to staying in karts and wasn’t looking to leave. It was an old kart manager that pointed me in the direction of making a step and giving it a go.”
And considering the pace he has demonstrated in pre-season testing, he’s one of the many drivers to watch this year. But calling a winner is nighon impossible. If the racing and title fight proves to be as good in reality as it is on paper then this should be one of the battles to watch in 2018. ■