> Full-season entry for series debutants
Ginetta’s new G56 will contest the Intelligent Money British GT4 Championship this season in the hands of Assetto Motorsport, Mark Sansom and factory ace Charlie Robertson.
The car replaces the outgoing G55, which along with its G50 predecessor notched up a record 75 GT4 victories between 2008 and ‘18. Indeed, Ginetta occupies second behind only Porsche in British GT’s list of all-time manufacturer wins.
Assetto will be eager to add to that impressive tally during their maiden British GT campaign, which begins at Brands Hatch next weekend (May 22/23). The team specialises in all forms of Ginetta race car preparation and has already experienced British GT’s support package during its G40 Cup title-winning campaigns in 2018/19.
One of its 2020 alumni, Sansom, also graduates to British GT this year after spending the past two seasons contesting the G40 Cup.
“I'm thrilled at the prospect of contesting British GT in the Assetto Motorsport Ginetta G56,” he said. “After a couple of seasons in close and competitive Ginetta racing, I feel ready to make the step up. And having undertaken that journey with the tremendous and supportive teams at both Assetto and Ginetta, this is the dream way of moving up to top-level GT racing.
“I'm also delighted to be partnering Ginetta factory driver and LMP1 Le Mans racer Charlie Robertson. No-one knows the new Ginetta better than Charlie and he is of course massively quick, so I'll be learning all I can from him and giving it absolutely everything to ensure we form a strong pairing. I can't wait to get going.”
Few can match Robertson’s experience of the Yorkshire firm’s motorsport programmes. So it’s perhaps a little surprising given the manufacturer’s domestic success that the former Ginetta Junior and Supercup champion has only made a handful of British GT starts, all of which came in GT3.
“I’m really looking forward to working with Mark and Assetto Motorsport as they both make the step up into endurance racing,” he said. “I worked with the team last season, have also tested with them and the G56 this year, and have no doubt that we will be a force to be reckoned with. British GT is the perfect platform to build from and show what the Ginetta G56 can do.”
Assetto Motorsport’s Jim Edwards added: “It’s incredibly exciting knowing we’re all set to race in British GT this season. This is what we have aspired to since Simon Traves and I started Assetto Motorsport just three years ago. We have had success in recent seasons in the Ginetta G40 Cup, winning two overall titles in consecutive years as well as class victories in the Ginetta Supercup.
“This association with Ginetta is hugely important to us as it provides a ladder of progression all the way from our existing Ginetta Junior, G40 Cup, GT Academy and GT4 Supercup programmes through to the pinnacle of British GT. With Mark, we have a driver who has shown an impressive turn of speed, who is utterly determined and committed to fulfilling his potential and I know just how excited he is to begin driving alongside Charlie.”
Up to 4,000 spectators can attend Brands Hatch next Saturday and Sunday but fans must purchase tickets in advance via brandshatch.co.uk to guarantee their admission. Several covid protocols and restrictions – including a closed paddock – will remain in place until at least June 21 when the UK government is due to end all lockdown measures.