The sons of two well-known names in British motorsport will join forces in an Assetto Motorsport Ginetta G56 in the 2022 Intelligent Money British GT Championship as part of a GT4 assault.

Ginetta Junior graduates Freddie Tomlinson and Joe Wheeler have known each other since childhood thanks to their fathers’ friendship. Ginetta is owned by Lawrence Tomlinson’s LNT Group, while Peter Wheeler was in charge of iconic British marque TVR from 1981 until 2004.

Their joining of forces continues the rich British GT histories of both manufacturers, while Freddie and Joe – aged 17 and 18 respectively – are targeting additional victories for Ginetta, already GT4s record-breaker in terms of manufacturer triumphs.

They jump behind the wheel of the G56 in the machine’s second year of competition, after a successful debut season in 2021 in which Mark Sansom and Charlie Robertson finished third in the Pro-Am standings. This year will be the car’s first at the hands of an all-Silver crew.

Tomlinson and Wheeler come into British GT on the back of finishing ninth and 10th respectively in the ever-competitor Ginetta Junior standings. Wheeler will have a slight advantage as he continues with Assetto – the team that ran him in the Junior championship.

“Ginetta is synonymous with GT4 so to represent my family’s company in British GT – just as my father did – will be a really proud moment,” said Tomlinson. “But Joe and I are also here to do a job. After a few years in Juniors we feel ready for the next step, despite being one of if not the youngest crew on the grid. We’ve known each other since we were toddlers but this is the first time that we’ll have worked together in a motorsport environment. I’m really looking forward to that aspect of it.

“I remember attending British GT as a kid and hoping that I might be able to race one of my dad’s cars one day. I’ve been around the TOCA paddock thanks to Ginetta Juniors, which is a big deal, but this feels like something different, something special that I dreamed of as a child. It’s a great fit, both on a personal and professional level.”

The British GT Championship will get underway at Oulton Park in April, and Wheeler is already looking forward to adding another chapter to his family’s storied connection with the country’s premier GT series.

He explained: “Perhaps some people will focus on Freddie’s Ginetta links but I think my existing relationship with Assetto will also prove invaluable this year. The G56 is very different to the Junior car and neither of us have any experience at this level yet, but at least knowing the team and how they operate gives us something to work with initially. Silver crews have achieved a lot of GT4 success in Ginettas so hopefully we can continue that run with the G56.

“I was born after TVR’s British GT heyday but my father absolutely loved it. The Speed 12, Cerbera and Tuscan all won races and are legends of this championship, so for me to now be on the grid… wow! Unbelievable.”

 
 

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