The Ginetta Junior Winter Series will make a welcome return to the track in 2024, with the 15th running of the traditional end-of-season championship taking place at Silverstone over the weekend of 02/03 November.
The Winter Series will be contested at the ‘Home of British Motor Racing’ for the first time this year as part of the historic Walter Hayes Trophy weekend, which sees over 100 drivers from across the globe compete in the world’s largest Formula Ford 1600 event.
Since its inception in 2008, the Winter Series has established itself as a key fixture in the Ginetta race calendar. The mini-series allows existing Junior drivers to get some more racing experience under their belt. It also provides an opportunity for rookie talents to get their first taste of Ginetta competition.
The Winter Series is established as a proving ground for the stars of the following season too. No less than seven Winter Series champions have gone on to win the overall title the next year; Seb Morris, Harry Woodhead, Jamie Caroline, Adam Smalley, James Hedley, Josh Rowledge and Freddie Slater.
Slater emerged victorious from the last running of the Winter Series in 2022. He won three of the four races to make history as the youngest ever Ginetta champion. He went on to produce one of the most impressive Junior title-winning seasons of all-time the following year.
The Winter Series will follow the traditional Junior weekend format of one qualifying session and three races, contested on the 1.64-mile Silverstone National circuit. All races will be streamed live on the BRSCC YouTube channel as part of the Walter Hayes Trophy coverage.
Kelly Edmund, Ginetta Events Manager:
“We’re delighted that the Ginetta Junior Winter Series is back for 2024. The event is a brilliant way for regular drivers and rookies to get some crucial race experience under their belts. Success in the event can be a great springboard into the following season.
“We’re anticipating a strong grid for this year’s running and the Silverstone National circuit always serves up fantastic, exciting Ginetta Junior racing. So, we’re sure the Winter Series is going to be a great way to end the 2024 race season alongside the Walter Hayes Trophy.”
James Beckett, Creator – Walter Hayes Trophy:
“The Walter Hayes Trophy is an event well-known for providing superb wheel-to-wheel action at Silverstone. The event, hosted for the twenty-fourth time this year, annually brings together the best talent in Formula Ford for an end-of-season showcase around the 1.6-mile National Circuit.
“The addition of Ginetta Junior to the event programme is great news for everyone! Ginetta Junior, like Formula Ford, is well-known to provide great action. At each event the category visits, the racing is superb. I know the Silverstone crowds will enjoy the on-track action from these Ford-powered cars. I am sure another champion of the future will emerge from this competition.”
The regulations for the Winter Series will be based on that of the 2024 Ginetta Junior Championship. There will be a small number of changes:
- A maximum of four new Pirelli control tyres will be available for use during the whole weekend.
- ‘Rookie’ Class drivers will be any driver who has competed in less than three Ginetta Junior race weekends.
The full regulations will be available in the coming weeks.
Drivers and teams interested in competing in the Ginetta Junior Winter Series 2024 are recommended to get in touch with Kelly Edmund. Kelly is the events manager at Ginetta, email her at: kelly.edmund@ginetta.com.
