The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Angus driver secures biggest career success
Angus endurance star Sandy Mitchell clinched the British GT Championship title with a dominant drive in the Silverstone 500 season finale to scoop the biggest success of his motorsport career.
The Letham 20-year-old is the youngest Scot to win the title, and the second youngest ever in the championship’s history.
Mitchell and team-mate Rob Collard overturned a six-point deficit going into the final round to emerge as clear winners in their Barwell Mo t o r s p o r t - prepared Black Bull Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT.
Victory in the threehour race at the home of British motorsport was their second in this season’s championship, after a late August win at Brands Hatch.
And it came just a fortnight after the pairing won the Pro-Am class in the gruelling Spa 24-Hours.
“It ’s my first championship series win overall, which is fantastic,” said Lamborghini Squadra Corse junior driver Mitchell, who started from pole position with former BTCC ace Collard on a packed 37-car grid featuring 2009 Formula One champion Jenson Button on his British GT debut.
“We’ve won a few big races recently, Spa 24Hours being the main one.
“But to be able to put it all together in a championship and come out as champions is a great feeling,” said the ex-Dundee High School pupil.
“This is massive in my career development. The overall championship win is the standout thing on my CV.
“It’s the first time I’ve done it since karting, so British Champion in GT racing and karting is pretty cool.”
Collard started the race, but quick thinking by the Bar well team after an incident on the opening lap brought out the safety car and allowed the pairing to
complete the first of their three compulsory pitstops with Mitchell taking the wheel. The pair then controlled the race throughout to deliver the dominant victory.
M i t c h e l l ’s success maintains a remarkable Courier country grip on the British GT title.
He succeeds Fife-born Aston Martin racer and four- time series victor Jonny Adam as drivers’ champion, with the 36-year-old praising his young friend and rival’s triumph.
Mi t c h e l l , who paid special tribute to personal b a c ke r s , Hu n t l y - b a s e d Black Bull Whisky, said: “It was a fantastic race.
“I was looking forward to the weekend and felt I
could do a really good job.
“It’s not every season you go into the last race with a really strong shot of winning the championship. So I tried to enjoy that feeling as well, and not worry too much about what would happen.
“The gap was nice and big at the end, which is exactly what we like at the end of a championship.
“It meant I could stay calm and enjoy the final few laps.
“I’m glad I was in the car, because I’m a lot calmer driving than watching it on TV in the garage.
“I’m absolutely delighted. Our Black Bull Scotch Whisky Lamborghini was on fire all weekend.
“We’ve had a fantastic season with Barwell. The
team has come second on a few occasions in the championship, so to win it overall for them is fantastic.
“This is massive in my career development,” said Mitchell, whose win also clinched the British GT Silver Cup for the duo.
“The overa l l championship is obviously the standout thing on my CV.
“British GT champion in the Black Bull Lamborghini, with Barwell, sounds pretty good.”
He has no time to rest on the Silverstone laurels, however, with a World Challenge Europe final at Paul Ricard circ uit in France this weekend, where the duo remain in contention for the Pro-Am crown.