Yorkshire-based sportscar manufacturer Ginetta says it remains in the hunt for the right customer team to come along with an offer in order to get the G61-LT-P3 Evo LMP3 back out racing.
In 2025, for the first year of the third generation of the LMP3 rules, Ginetta added variety to both the Le Mans Cup and European Le Mans Series fields with partner team DKR Engineering.
The Luxembourg-flagged, title-winning team failed to mount a title challenge in either series with their new cars, but did enjoy some success, the high point coming at Circuit de la Sarthe in the Road To Le Mans races, where it claimed a Pro/Am class win.
But for 2026, DKR has opted to switch to Ligier, leaving Ginetta in the same boat as fellow LMP3 constructor ADESS, without a customer on the grid in either series due to the popularity of Ligier’s and to a lesser extent, Duqueine’s cars.
“If I am being brutally honest,” Ginetta’s chief executive of motorsport, Mike Simpson, told DSC. “I have demand, to put a programme together, but the business needs to be correct for me. We had a good arrangement Kendy (Janclaes) from DKR, and we both agreed there’s a lot more potential in the car, but we can’t just keep spending money on it. It has to make business sense.”
While full-season deals appear to be all but off the table in the ACO’s series, IMSA VP Challenge and Prototype Cup Europe, there will be opportunities to see the car out racing later in the year in one-offs or partial season campaigns before the grids for 2027 begin taking shape.
Simpson, though, played down that chance, owing its disappointing situation to Ligier’s “stranglehold on the market”.
“I am happy to sell cars, I’ve got Americans interested in buying them. But unfortunately, all the European teams enquiring are asking if they can rent cars for things like Road To Le Mans. I’m not interested in that. I’m not Avis,” he admitted.
“We’ve put a lot of money into the cars, I need that return on investment. There are six cars available; it would be a shame to see them gather dust. We have developed our own version of it, the G62, as we did with the G57 and G58, so we’re going to have fun with that in America with track days and race clubs.
“LMP3 is great, but if I go to Lawrence (Tomlinson, Ginetta’s chairman) and say we should pursue something, it has to be pretty exceptional. It has to be the right team with the right test budget and crew. We don’t want to come back if we can’t get podiums or win. The deals in front of me are not going to do that, so I’m happy to say no.
“The cars aren’t going anywhere; they’re eligible for years to come, and the ACO wants diversity. Teams can fill a Ligier every year, the Ginetta is a hard sell, the Duqueine and the Adess is also. Ligier have the monopoly of the market, and it is a huge part of their business; their product is strong.
LMP3 is a stepping stone category for drivers pursuing a professional career; nearly all drivers bring budget and naturally have a limited lifespan in LMP3. Currently, the Ligier is the obvious choice. But if you want to differentiate yourself, we feel our product is a great proposition. It is the best-looking car on the grid, extremely reliable and well-engineered.
“We just need more cars, teams and drivers to move the performance on slightly. The DKR drivers enjoyed driving the Ginetta due to its design, but ultimately, unless you’re topping the times each session, it’s hard. And right now, even with a Ligier, unless you’re operating in the top window like CLX, it is difficult for your team and to fill the seats with fastest drivers.”
