The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Mitchell all geared up for race success
Sandy Mitchell has high hopes the home of British motorsport will be a happy hunting ground again this weekend.
Silverstone hosts the second round of the 2022 British GT Championship by staging the series’ blue riband endurance event on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Lamborghini star from Letham, near Forfar, is determined to complete a hat-trick of maximum points finishes at the Northamptonshire track.
Not only did he leave there 12 months ago with full points, but in 2020 he sealed the British GT title when he won the threehour Silverstone 500 with team-mate Rob Collard.
He and team-mate Adam Balon endured a frustrating opening to this year’s campaign at Oulton Park in the Bar well Motor sport prepared Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo.
So the young Angus ace is fully focused on igniting his 2022 title assault.
“I’ve always loved racing at Silverstone,” said Mitchell. “And obviously I’ve got really good memories of the track.
“Oulton didn’t go the way we had planned due to circumstances outwith our control.
“But we know we can push hard for the win at Silverstone. The Barwell guys always deliver a fast and reliable Lamborghini.
“And the car suits Silverstone, so we’ll be pushing hard to bag our first win of the year.
“We had a very positive test there earlier this year, and everyone in the team was pleased with the pace and times we set.
“Now we have to replicate that first in qualifying, then in the three-hour race.”
It is likely the challenge will test another key aspect of the Barwell armoury beyond just the Lambo’s raw pace.
Mitchell said: “It’s the longest race in the championship, which means strategy plays a big part in the outcome.
“It’s all about anticipating and then reacting to incidents, and in the Barwell boys we have many, many years of experience in managing races.
“We all know if we get the calls right and we manage to stay out of trouble, we have the pace to be fighting right at the sharp end of the race.”
He added: “Do that, and we’ll be in the mix for the win.”
He will have familiar rival – and pal – Jonny Adam gunning for glory alongside him on the grid, but racing an unfamiliar badge.
Fifer Adam, 37, is a fourtime British GT champ and double Le Mans 24 Hour class winner, all with Aston Martin.
The factory driver isn’t tackling the full 2022 campaign.
But he returns for Silverstone with Flick Haigh – the pair took the title in 2018 – in a 2 Seas Motorsport Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo.
It is the first time in 96 British GT outings that Kirkcaldy-born Adam hasn’t been behind the wheel of an Aston.
It’s the first of a threerace partnership with Haigh which will also take in Snetterton and Brands Hatch.
“I am super excited to be back in British GT for a few selected rounds, and back racing with Flick,” said Adam.
“Last time we raced together we shared a championship victory in 2018 and it’s great to see her back behind the wheel of a GT3 car.
“We have tested with 2 Seas Motorsport and the team have been great to work with, so we have high hopes to try and achieve some solid results for Flick on her return to British GT.”