Mitchell back from BTCC to bid for second GT4 crown
After a tough rookie British Touring Car campaign last year, Jack Mitchell has a clear objective on his return to the British GT ranks with the Speedworks-run Toyota GR Supra GT4. The 2018 GT4 champion with BMW squad Century Motorsport, Mitchell was a GT3 podium finisher in Century’s venerable M6 the following year, then took a maiden overall race win with 2Seas Motorsport’s Mclaren in 2020.
But joining the BTCC with Team Hard’s brand-new Cupra Leon meant he had an uphill battle to learn the series while developing the car, and Mitchell didn’t trouble the points. Unable to secure a drive “with a package that could really get me some strong results but also get me noticed”, he’s opted to try to get a foot in the door at Christian Dick’s Speedworks operation, a serial BTCC winner in recent years that has been present in the GT4 class since 2020.
“We looked at it as a step to get to know everyone, hopefully having a good future together and working our way back into touring cars,” says Mitchell.
The 24-year-old will pair up with Ginetta Junior graduate Tom Edgar and, although the Supra has yet to win in British GT, its pace was proven last year. The target is to get that elusive first win and build a title challenge, which Mitchell, who shared with three different drivers in his 2018 campaign, believes is eminently possible with the stability afforded by a constant presence alongside.
“Results-wise it wasn’t great last year, but I felt like I learned a lot,” he says. “I’ve improved as a driver, we have a strong car and I’ve got a team-mate now for the whole year who I have no doubt can be as quick as me. A win shouldn’t be too far away; it’s definitely our goal to win outright.”
If he were to do so,
Mitchell would become the first ever double GT4 champion, although he will have two rivals for the honour. Reigning champion Will Burns, who claimed honours with Gus Burton last season, is back at Century but is this time alongside Jack Brown, while 2014 title winner Ross Wylie returns with a Porsche run by series newcomer Valluga Racing.