Belgium-bound Angus racer Sandy Mitchell in contention for title

MOTORSPORT: Mitchell ready for Belgium

Forfar teenager Sandy Mitchell returns to sportscar action this weekend when he tackles the Blue Riband event of the Blancpain GT Endurance Series, the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

The 18-year-old from Letham heads to the iconic Belgian track having powered his Black Bull Whisky-backed Lamborghini Huracan GT3 to victory in the last round, the Paul Ricard 1000kms.

“It was great to get our first win of the season in France,” Mitchell, a member of the prestigious British Racing Drivers’ Club Rising Star scheme, and part of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Program, said, “but now we need to build on that success.”

The win eased Mitchell — partnered by 23-year-old Italian Michele Beretta and 20-year-old Croatian Martin Kodric — into championship contention.

They head to Belgium third in the title race.

The trio will be joined this weekend by Rik Breukers.

The young Dutchman has already tasted major 24-hour success this year, when he claimed GT3 victory in the Daytona 24 Hours driving a Lamborghini Huracan.

”We’ve got four good, strong, fast drivers in the Black Bull Lamborghini for Spa, and we know from the performances we had in the test day at the track that the car’s quick,” Mitchell who previously held the GT4 track record at the circuit, continued.

“I really enjoyed driving the GT3 Lamborghini round Spa. Previously I’d only done it in the GT4 car, but the GT3 made everything so much more impressive.

“I was able to carry a lot more speed through the iconic corners like Eau Rouge and Blanchimont; they became so much faster rather than having to brake a bit in the GT4. Now it’s almost flat out, so it was a cool experience.”

And Mitchell, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky, already has one 24-hour race under his belt this season.

“I did the Silverstone 24Hr race in March, driving an Audi RS3 LMS, to get some 24-hour experience ahead of Spa,” he explained.

“Getting woken up at midnight to go and race a car round a circuit in the pitch darkness for two hours was something which was a bit of a jolt.

“But the experience was great and I think it’s really benefited me.”

Meanwhile Fife teenager Dean Macdonald scored his maiden victory in a GT car on his debut with the Century Motorsport BMW Team in the British GT race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit

Macdonald, partnered by the more experienced Jack Mitchell, said: “To get my first ever win at this iconic circuit is just brilliant.

Sandy Mitchell in his Lamborghini.