Building on the success of its first year, the Junior Ginetta Championship has received a triple boost for the 2006 season, following the news that PlayStation® will be renewing its sponsorship for a further season, the UK Formula Ford Championship will be combining with Team JLR to reward the top junior drivers with an excellent prize package, and SKY Sports will be adding the junior racing series to its coverage portfolio.
The winner of next year’s PlayStation Junior Ginetta Championship will win a fantastic opportunity to further enhance their racing career. The top prize, supplied by the UK Formula Ford Championship, will include a free championship and registration entry into its ‘Scholarship Class’ for the 2007 Championship, a natural step up from the Junior Ginetta category.
Adding a further incentive for the leading pack, the top three Ginetta young guns will all qualify for a full day’s testing with Formula Ford outfit, Team JLR, valued at £6,000. The UK Formula Ford Championship will also offer the second and third placed drivers a free registration into the 2007 Championship. Ginetta’s main objective is to establish itself as the number one series for junior sports car racing. It made great steps towards achieving this goal, after Toby Newton’s dramatic victory in the final race of the season clinched the inaugural PlayStation 2 Junior Championship. Newton won the race by just one tenth of a second ahead of his championship rival James Harrison.
This closely fought climax to the series has set the scene for the season ahead, which promises to produce competitive racing at an affordable budget. The PlayStation Ginetta Junior Championship is open to 14 to 16 year olds, and has already attracted 14 drivers for the 2006 season. Ginetta expects this number to increase to 20 drivers by the start of the season and it will then cap this number, ensuring the young drivers have enough room on the track to develop their skills and learn the fine art of circuit racing.
Martin Phaff, Championship organiser commented, “We’re delighted to gain support from PlayStation once again. It’s a dynamic brand that the youngsters relate too. The prize offerings from Team JLR and the UK Formula Ford Championship will help take the championship to a new level, and SKY Sports coverage will be a great platform for the drivers to raise their profile. The Championship now has all the right ingredients to help nurture the future stars of British racing.”
Three notable names signed up for the 2006 season, include Henry Surtees, son of the former World Formula One Champion & 500cc Motorcycle World Champion John Surtees; Fergus Walkinshaw, son of former Formula One team boss Tom Walkinshaw; and Jade Edwards, daughter of former British Touring Car driver Jim Edwards Jnr. Another up and coming driver to watch out for will be Stevie Taddei, who won a scholarship for the 2006 Ginetta Junior Championship by winning the BRDC Junior ‘Stars of Tommorrow’ competition held at Silverstone.
Having witnessed the final round of 2005 championship, motorsport legend, John Surtees commented, “This is a perfect way to teach young drivers the craft of track racing and help them build up their knowledge and confidence of tackling the main circuits. It will open up a whole new world for them.” The PlayStation Junior Ginetta Championship has successfully followed the blueprint set by the senior championship, which has grown to become the biggest single class championship in Europe. The winner of next season’s senior series will win a day testing the European PANOZ Team LNT Le Mans car, which has a prize value of £10,000.
