Ginetta joins SRO GT Academy’s new GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli initiative

Ginetta has become the third manufacturer to commit to the SRO GT Academy’s expanded GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli initiative for the 2026 season. It comes on the eve of the British brand’s series debut this weekend at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which will be followed by a full-scale assault next year.

Ginetta joins Maserati and Mercedes-AMG in supporting the SRO GT Academy, which is open to Silver-graded drivers under the age of 30 who compete with one of these brands. The star performer will earn a funded (excluding crash damage) Mercedes-AMG GT3 seat with an AMG Customer Racing Team for the 2027 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup.

The SRO GT Academy will use an assessment-based process to reveal each driver’s true ability and potential, eliminating external factors such as co-driver performance, reliability and luck. This will also ensure that entrants from the Pro-Am class and those competing in the new Silver Cup can be judged equally.

Race results will not be considered. Instead, points will be awarded for the quickest qualifying and race laps, as well as the average time across each driver’s fastest 10 race laps. Points will be deducted when a driver is deemed responsible for an accident by the panel of Stewards, or for losing control of the car off-track.

At present, the initiative will be open to drivers competing with the Ginetta G56 GT2, the Maserati GT2, and the Mercedes-AMG GT2. Additional manufacturers have the opportunity to join the programme ahead of the 2026 season and make their drivers eligible for the prize.

Drivers already competing in GT World Challenge Europe are not eligible to take part.

The SRO GT Academy concept stems from the FFSA French GT Championship where this year’s winner, Gaspard Simon, will receive €150,000 towards a GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup seat next season.

The new Ginetta G56 GT2 makes its global competition debut this weekend under the guidance of French squad CMR, with father-son duo Lawrence and Freddie Tomlinson sharing driving duties. The car boasts a supercharged 6.3-litre V8 developed by the British marque, as well as full carbon fibre bodywork and top-tier components from industry-leading partners. Like all GT2 Europe competitors, it will use Pirelli tyres.

Lawrence Tomlinson, Ginetta Chairman: “Seeing a Ginetta proudly standing alongside the other factory GT2 marques is a vindication of our ethos. We’ve long championed driver development; now, with SRO recognising GT2 as a gateway to GT3, the Ginetta family has even more purpose in shaping future champions.”

Mike Simpson, Ginetta CEO: “At Ginetta, we believe motorsport should be a ladder and this partnership with SRO’s GT Academy ensures that a young Silver driver can truly travel from any level of motorsport all the way up to GT3. We’re proud to offer the GT2 stage as the next stepping stone in that journey.”

Stéphane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Founder & CEO: “I am delighted to share the news that Ginetta will join the SRO GT Academy next year and support the development of future racing talent. We are very excited by the new ladder system that is being put in place and welcome the presence of another major name. Ginetta, Maserati and Mercedes-AMG all bring immense competitive heritage and a history of encouraging young talent. I am excited to see the next generation of GT racers that they will help to unearth.”