Ginetta Junior Ireland

What is this class?
Ginetta Junior Ireland is a Motorsport Ireland registered championship and is the only racing class in Ireland catering for 14 to 17 year old competitors.

The Ginetta Junior Ireland Championship is a one-make race series for competitors participating in the Ginetta G20 Coupé. The race car is supplied with a Ford Zetec SE 1400cc 16 valve engine, in its 89.2PS (88.0 Bhp) @ 5500rpm form.

The class started racing here in 2010. Many of the graduates of Ginetta Junior have gone on to race very successfully in China, the UK, the USA, Australia and various other parts of the world. Once a competitor turns 18, they cannot continue racing with Ginetta Junior Ireland and must move into senior racing classes. The constant influx of new competitors makes this class one of the most exciting.

How do I drive these cars? What are the licence requirements?
You must obtain a National B licence. This involves purchasing an Introduction to Motorsport Introductory Pack at a cost of €10, which is available from Motorsport Ireland (MI). The pack contains a reference number which you will need in order to apply for a Motorsport Ireland Introduction to Motorsport Course (IMC) for racing. The course costs €250. A parent or guardian must attend the course with you. Details of what is required and how to apply are at ‘How to get started’ on the Motorsport Ireland website. The Junior Race licence is free for first-time applicants.

The minimum age for circuit racing is 14. Parents please note that an Entrant’s Licence at a cost of €55 is required for the parent(s) or guardian of any junior competitor. You can download an Entrant’s Licence application form here.

Racewear
You will need a full set of FIA approved racewear, including race suit, boots, gloves, helmet, HANS ((Head and Neck Support) device, underwear, socks and balaclava. Cost depends on what brands you decide to buy. Murray Motorsport is a supplier of FIA approved racewear: 01 4500555 www.murraymotorsport.ie

How to get involved
Register with Ginetta Junior Ireland to be eligible to score championship points. Registration is €200. It is our policy to give back the registration fee (or part thereof) to competitors where we have been successful in securing sponsorship. The registration fee pays for event awards, championship awards, decals and race numbers, which we supply. Registration forms are e-mailed prior to the start of the racing season to competitors’ parents or guardians.

Championship and entry fees
The Ginetta Junior championship involves 12 races which take place on six weekends typically from April to September with your best 10 rounds counting for the championship. In the scheduling, we try to allow for the June exams, making sure there is lots of study time! Races take place in Mondello Park, Co Kildare and Kirkistown in Northern Ireland. Each race weekend consists of qualifying and two races. The entry fee is approximately €280 per weekend. There is normally an opportunity to test your car and familiarize yourself with the circuit before a race weekend at an extra cost per half-day or full-day testing, set by the circuit. We typically qualify and race on Saturdays if the event is a two-day event to help cut down on overnight expenses for anyone travelling a distance and anyone hiring the car on an ‘arrive and drive’ basis (i.e. anyone paying for hire by the day will only need to hire for one day).

How fast do these cars go?
On average the race cars reach speeds of around 95 to 99kph on the racing circuits.

How much do these cars cost?
Cars range in price from €3,500 to €6,000 depending on condition and the sterling conversion rate at the time (where the car is priced in sterling).

And what do they cost to run for a season?
You can get your own car and either look after it yourself or give it to an established race team to transport and/or look after it for you. In addition, some race teams provide cars on an ‘arrive and drive’ basis so all you do is turn up at the race track and drive a hired car. The costs depend on what you decide to do. Negotiations between you and the team(s) are private and Mondello Park does not get involved. The entry fee is approximately €280 per championship weekend. Additional costs during the racing season might include tyres, engine parts and body repairs for example.

If you wish to contact a team or find out what cars are available, then please e-mail us for information at annstevens@ginettajuniorireland.com

Contacts:
Ann Stevens Class Principal 086 2468700 annstevens@ginettajuniorirland.com
Dave McAulay Class Rep davemcaulay@ginettajuniorirland.com