JAMES Harrison from Pershore, will be competing in the first UK rounds of the inaugural PlayStation2 Ginetta GT Junior Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend.

The event is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Motorsport News, with an action-packed line up including the all-new junior series, the BARC For-mula Renault Championship and the UK Formula Ford Series.

The opening rounds of the Ginetta Championship took place in France earlier this month when the 15-year-old Harrison claimed runner-up spot in the weekend's second race.

The Championship provides a welcome boost for grassroots motor sport, offering 14 to 16-year-old drivers the opportunity to compete in sports car racing at an affordable budget.

The Championship will be contested over 12 rounds, visiting the UK's top circuits, including Silverstone and Brands Hatch.

The Junior Ginetta uses a Ford Zetec 1.4-litre engine and the gearbox, diff ratios and Dunlop tyres are all controlled to ensure challenging and rewarding racing.

"It's always been my dream to race cars," Harrison declared. "This is an exciting opportunity to test myself against other drivers of a similar age and standard from all over the country."

By the end of this season, the championship aims to establish itself as the tops for junior racing.

This is the only series that offers sportscar racing for this junior category, providing a natural step up from karting before jumping up to the International GT classes.

Martin Phaff from Ginetta Cars explained, "We will follow the blueprint set by the senior championship, which has built a reputation as one of the best ways for motor sport fans to take their first step into competitive motorsport at an affordable price."

"A lot of time and resource has gone in to developing a safe car, creating a pathway to nurture the future stars of British motorsport. It's a great opportunity to bring together talented youngsters and give them the opportunity to gain valuable experience racing sports cars on the UK's leading circuits."