Liam McNeilly (Fox Motorsport) goes into the meeting as the championship leader for the first time in his Junior career courtesy of a fantastic second victory of the season at Oulton Park. A race-winner at Snetterton too, the second year contender has posted five podium finishes in total so far.
Seb Hopkins had led the way heading into Oulton Park and he remains McNeilly’s closest challenger in the standings at the moment, having matched his tally of five podiums. Hopkins is joined by Will Jenkins in heading the title charge for reigning champions Elite Motorsport, the latter having impressed with a podium hat-trick at Snetterton.
Four of the top seven drivers in the championship standings are competing for R Racing meanwhile. Aston Millar and Josh Miller lead the quartet in third and fifth respectively, having both finished on the podium at Oulton Park as they continue their pursuit of a first win of 2021.
The other race winners on their grid are their team-mates Tom Edgar and Callum Voisin. The former has two wins to date and is eager to bounce back from a tough run of races, while rookie class leader Voisin has been a revelation with no less than five overall race victories in his maiden campaign.
One of the other standout performers in the rookie class has been Josh Rowledge (Elite Motorsport). He enjoyed a breakthrough weekend at Oulton Park as he took a double pole position in qualifying and a third rookie class win of the year in a seasons’ best fourth overall.
Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner Robert de Haan (Richardson Racing) has had a great season so far with six visits to the rookie podium. Max Dodds (Assetto Motorsport) has four to his name, while team-mate Harri Reynolds scored a deserved first piece of silverware last time out.
A host of drivers are targeting their maiden rookie podiums, including Aqil Alibhai (Breakell Racing), Oliver Flashman (Richardson Racing) and Ginetta Junior Scholarship winner Maurice Henry (Fox Motorsport), all of whom carry momentum from seasons’ best finishes at Oulton Park.
The ultra-talented 2021 grid has produced no less than 15 different top ten finishers so far. That group includes Assetto Motorsport team-mates Joe Wheeler and Jamie Osborne, plus R Racing duo Ian Aguilera and Freddie Tomlinson.
Amongst those knocking on the door of the top ten in the competitive midfield have been Max Hall (Elite Motorsport), James Higgins (Preptech UK), Zac Meakin (Raceway Motorsport) and Edward Pearson (Richardson Racing).
Fergus Chalmers (Preptech UK) will be hoping to impress this weekend as he contests his home event, while aiming for more points finishes will be Elite Motorsport’s Joe Warhurst and Jack Sherwood, Adam Brown (Ultimate Speed Racing) and Jacob Hodgkiss (Race Car Consultants).
Follow all the action across the weekend on social media, @GinettaCars.
Weekend Timetable:
Saturday 14 August – Qualifying, 10:30-10:45; Race One, 13:40; Race Two, 17:20
Sunday 15 August – Race Three, 09:05; Race Four, 13:50 (Live on ITV4)
The rescheduled Oulton Park race (Round 10) will be the second race contested on Saturday. The grid for the race will utilise the original grid intended for Round 10 and only competitors detailed on the original grid sheet will be eligible to participate.
Live timing and results: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/213203
