Hucknall racer Ruben Hage excited to make Ginetta debut as season gets underway this weekend

Hucknall racing driver Ruben Hage is excited to get his 2022 season started this Easter weekend (Saturday 16 April & Monday 18 April).

The 16-year-old is making the step up from the Junior Saloon Car Championship (JSCC) in which he had raced for the last three years to the Ginetta GT5 Challenge, where he will be behind the wheel of a Ginetta G40 GT5 in the one make series.

The series will support two of the most prestigious domestic motorsport championships in the UK this year: the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and British GT.

The season begins this weekend supporting the latter at Oulton Park in Cheshire.  

Speaking exclusively to Hucknall Nub News, Ruben said: "I'm really looking forward to it, especially to be starting off at one of the best tracks in the country at Oulton Park.

"We had a test session there a few weeks ago, pace seemed good, everything seemed good. We had a mixture of dry and wet running so whatever the weather is this weekend, although I think it's going to be dry, we should be prepared and hopefully we can get a good result."

Following a good winter of preparation, Ruben is aiming for a solid start to the season.

"I think straight away the pace was better than I expected. I think now we've had those three or four test sessions and they've all gone to plan, I think we've got the pace to at least be in the mid-pack this weekend which is kind of what we're aiming for.

"A top ten finish would be what I want going into the weekend now, that would be excellent."

The machinery he is competing in this year is a radical step up from the Citreon Saxo he became so accustomed to in the JSCC over the last three years but he is pleased with how he has adapted to the Ginetta.

"It's basically everything I've learned the other way around. Rear wheel drive, it's like learning to drive again pretty much. When you get sideways you lift off the throttle instead of putting more on as you would in a front wheel drive car. Tiny steering inputs make such a big difference in the Ginetta as well as opposed to the Saxo where I reckon if I hopped back in that now it would feel like driving a bus or something.

"Literally everything's different: left foot braking, sequential gearbox, warming up slicks and learning the new grip limit of the car which is kind of the main thing through testing, finding just how quickly the car can go through the corner on these slicks was a big learning curve."

A move to a new championship has also meant joining a new team and Ruben has switched to Total Control Racing (TCR) run by former BTCC Independent Champion Lee Brookes.

Asked about how he feels he's settled into the team Ruben was extremely positive. He said: "It's been really good. Lee Brookes' team it's almost like a family, as soon as you go in everyone's friendly, really hard working, getting the car prepped just how I like it before a test session, everything's done immaculately there, car's felt perfect on the three or four test sessions we've done pre-season, so I couldn't be happier."

Motorsport is an expensive sport and Ruben acknowledges he would not be where he is today without the support of his sponsors.

Gardx, who have supported him since the age of 8, continue with their backing as one of the main sponsors. There is also a new partnership with Autotech Academy who help recruit newly qualified mechanics into paid work. As part of the tie-up, there will be an opportunity for mechanic students to gain some hands-on experience by joining Ruben's team at certain meetings throughout the season.

There are also new local sponsors for Ruben this year with Lindleys Autocentres and Nottingham Printing joining Short Stitch, JAC Exhausts and JR Martin Motor Repairs, meaning a string of Hucknall businesses will get excellent exposure trackside and on television this year.

Asked about the new partnership with Lindleys and the importance to have backing from Hucknall based businesses, he said: "It adds that extra connection obviously they're in the automotive industry so that was the initial click but then for them to be local as well makes a good connection between us both.

"It's good to be representing a local brand, obviously them and Nottingham Printing are the two new local ones for me so it's definitely good to have them on board this year."

The first round of the Ginetta GT5 Challenge begins this weekend, with qualifying and the first race on Saturday (16 April) and the second and third races on Easter Monday (18 April).

For more information about Ruben's career, visit his website by clicking here.