PalmerSport will once again partner up with Ginetta to offer its customers an extraordinary opportunity to go racing in 2025. The returning PalmerSport Ginetta Race Scholarship will allow previous participants in the ‘world’s greatest driving event’ to showcase their skills in a competitive format with one selected winner earning a fully financed, full-time drive in next season’s Ginetta GT Academy.

This is an evolution of the relationship between the renowned corporate driving experience operator and the British sports car manufacturer, which saw the Ginetta G56 GTA join PalmerSport’s stellar vehicle line-up from 2023. This developed further with the launch of the first Scholarship scheme which ran earlier this year, with two initial assessment days at Bedford Autodrome ahead of a two-driver shootout at Donington Park.

The winner of this second edition of the PalmerSport Ginetta Race Scholarship will follow in the footsteps of James Nicholas, this year’s successful candidate. Nicholas had never raced prior to 2024 but made an immediate impression upon progressing to the racing ranks, incredibly winning on debut at Oulton Park before going on to establish himself as one of Ginetta GT Academy’s regular frontrunners.

Nicholas’s success during his rookie season proves beyond doubt that there is undiscovered potential within PalmerSport’s customer base. And with PalmerSport’s ethos extending beyond just giving guests the keys to eight thrilling driving activities, actively pushing participants to the limit, there is undoubtedly more talent to be discovered.

The main prize will once again include the opportunity to contest a full season’s motorsport across six events in the Ginetta GT Academy. This includes events on the prestigious British GT Championship support line-up, including on the Grands Prix layouts at Silverstone, Donington Park and Brands Hatch.

How does it work?

The talent-spotting programme will run as a two-stage process at a date to be announced in due course. Entrants will initially take part in an assessment at PalmerSport’s Bedford Autodrome base with a bespoke format including driving and coaching in the Caterham PalmerSport Edition, Palmer JP-LM and the Ginetta G56 GTA itself. Participants will also be required to set solo timed laps in each of those cars.

Following the initial assessment, which will be judged by our most senior instructors, two finalists will progress to a final shootout, also at Bedford Autodrome. This will include a half-day in-depth assessment programme, including a funded ARDS race licence test, to determine the ultimate winner.

Sensational prize package provided by Ginetta Cars – worth over £100k

The chosen winner will be granted use of a PalmerSport branded Ginetta G56 GTA race car, run by the Ginetta factory team, for pre-event testing and race weekends across the 2025 season. Mechanical and technical support will be included, along with coaching, storage and preparation, and race weekend consumables. The driver will also have access to full VIP Ginetta hospitality at each round for them and up to two guests, as well as a Ginetta branded race suit. So all the winner has to do is turn up and race!

Between the shootout event and the first race weekend, Ginetta will also commit to getting the winner even more up to speed with testing at its dedicated Blyton Park facility.

The estimated final prize value for the winner is approximately £100,000 plus VAT, all of which will be covered by Ginetta Cars.

How to enter the competition

The entry fee for the assessment day is £1,500 plus VAT per person, including catering and vehicle damage waiver. And the competition is open to any previous PalmerSport customer over the age of 25 who has never previously held a race licence. Full details of this year’s initial assessment dates will be shared very soon.

You can register your interest in the assessment programme by emailing [email protected].

What’s not included:

• The winner must pay for their own accommodation and travel on all testing and race weekends
• The winner must supply their own gloves, racing boots, fireproof underwear, helmet and HANS device in accordance with Motorsport UK regulations
• The winner is responsible for any damage to their supplied car up to the value of £15,000+VAT
• The driver can pay any damage off in full without claiming through the insurance policy
• Second claim on the policy will go up to £20,000+VAT
• Third claim on the policy will go up to £30,000+VAT
• Maximum of three claims on the policy per season. Any further damage after the third claim will result in the driver paying the damage in full
• Insurance claim does not include paint/vehicle wrap – this must be paid in full by the driver
• Any additional testing will be charged at £1,500+VAT per day plus track fee and transport costs

For further details about PalmerSport visit www.palmersport.com.