The Ginetta G56 GTA was chosen by Freddie Flintoff as his Car of the Year, following his emotional journey going through the Ginetta driver development programme, culminating in him making his race debut in a Ginetta G56 GTA.
While going through this experience, Freddie fell in love with the G56 GTA and has announced it as his Car of the Year, just a few days ahead of the BBC Top Gear TV feature which captures his training experiences and race debut. The TV feature airs for the first-time during episode four of the latest Top Gear series, this Sunday, 5th December at 8pm on BBC One.
Matt Lowe, CEO Ginetta Cars, commented: “It’s a huge honour to win a Top Gear Car of the Year Award – a first for our company. We are also really pleased that Freddie has chosen the G56 GTA over all the other incredible cars he has driven this year and that he absolutely loved driving it!
“It is a testament to the vision of our Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson and the hard work of the whole team at Ginetta in developing the car and our driving training programmes, for which we are well known within the industry.
“I can’t say too much about Sunday’s TV programme, but I can reveal that we were honoured to be approached some time ago, on the recommendation of another Top Gear presenter, who shall remain nameless… The brief was simple: to put Freddie through our driver development programme and give him his race debut. We were of course delighted to oblige.
“As everyone who has been through the programme knows, it’s not a walk in the park becoming a racing driver – especially on an accelerated timescale. I have to say we were all super impressed with the way Freddie put his heart and soul into it and really applied himself, just like you would expect from someone who comes from a professional sporting background. I think Top Gear on Sunday will be well worth finding time to watch to see how Freddie got on.”
Commenting on why he chose the Ginetta as his Car of the Year, Freddie said: “The one car in which I experienced more emotions in than any car I’ve ever driven in my life was the Ginetta. I absolutely loved it. It was one of those cars that the more time I spent in it, the more I enjoyed it, which is very different to what I’m usually like. I just wanted to stay in it and keep driving it and driving it and driving it. This was a fully-fledged racer, and it was making noises that I’ve never heard from a car before.
“It’s from Leeds. I know it’s the wrong side of the Pennines – I am from Lancashire – but it’s a local firm and I had so much fun. Nearly tears. I doubted myself all the time I sat in that car and I absolutely loved it!”
Matt Lowe, Ginetta CEO concluded: “This award and Freddie’s heartfelt comments cap off what has been a been a truly fantastic first year for the G56 GTA. When Lawrence was developing the spec of the car based on our GT4 car, which is one of the most successful in history, above all he wanted a really well balanced, potent and user-friendly race car, in which anyone could get in and go and start their racing journey.
“So, it is really satisfying to win this award and receive such positive comments from opinion formers and customers alike. With full grids and great feedback we have got off to the best possible start and 2022 is looking even better.”
The G56 GTA has been a hugely successful addition to Ginetta’s stable of racing cars, having been introduced as the manufacturer’s new entry point into GT racing through the new-for-2021 Ginetta GT Academy championship.
Derived from one of the most successful GT4 chassis in history, the G56 GTA is an entry level GT car that brings an unrivalled track driving experience. A true drivers’ car, it features perfectly balanced 50/50 weight distribution and a 3.7l V6 engine.
19 of the thoroughbred 270-bhp racers lined up on the GT Academy grid this year, with a grid of more than 30 cars expected for 2022. The car has also enjoyed success in the hands of customers in GT championships in both the UK and US.
The Ginetta G56 GTA features in the TopGear.com Awards 2021 coverage from 15 minutes and 51 seconds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCgI-ghYF94
The full feature with Freddie driving the Ginetta will be aired in the latest episode of Top Gear this coming Sunday (5th December) on BBC One at 8pm. The episode can also be watched live and on demand online via the BBC iPlayer.
