Mitchell storms to P2 at Brands Hatch 12 | 09 | 2022
FORMER BRITISH GT CHAMPION, Sandy Mitchell, delivered a storming drive in the penultimate round of the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch to strengthen his hopes of lifting a second title. (Related: Mitchell eyes British GT title charge at Bands Hatch)
The 22-year-old from Forfar, partnered by team-mate Adam Balon in the No 72 (#72) Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo prepared by Barwell Motorsport, ensured a nailbiting finish to the season at Donington next month by clinching a dramatic second place at Brands.
“Considering we’d only scored two points in the opening two races, and have had two rounds where we have scored no points at all, to be heading into the final race of the championship lying second in the championship with a chance of winning the title is fantastic,” Mitchell stated. (Related: Mitchell re-writes British GT record books at Spa)
“We set ourselves a determined objective this weekend and we’ve achieved that. Adam delivered a very strong opening stint, making three vital overtakes, and the team carried out a faultless pitstop. Now we have to focus on Donington.”
Balon started the race from fourth on the grid and, having slid back to fifth after a robust overtake from a rival car, found himself immediately ahead of championship leader Ian Loggie.
The appearance of the Safety Car on three separate occasions in the opening 60 minutes of the two-hour race kept the field bunched tightly together. And Balon was fortunate to continue racing after he was tapped into a spin when Loggie’s Mercedes made contact with the rear left of the #72 Lamborghini. (Related: Mitchell cruelly denied Spa24H podium)
The impact cost Balon around 10 seconds, dropping him to ninth in the field. Loggie meanwhile rejoined in sixth.
“Adam did brilliantly to get the car going again and rejoin the race so quickly,” Mitchell, a Lamborghini factory driver and member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club, said. “It’s also testament to the strength of the Lamborghini that he was able to continue at all considering the impact.”
Balon held sixth place when he made his compulsory pitstop and driver change, with Mitchell taking advantage of the success penalties served by others to rejoin in third place, 7.5secs behind the second-placed car.
After consolidating his position through the opening 45 minutes of his stint, Mitchell, personally backed by Upper Dysart Larder, Thorntons Solicitors, Lamborghini Edinburgh and Tunnocks, began to haul in the leading two cars. (Related: Scot Sandy Mitchell wins 2020 British GT Championship)
With three laps remaining, the Scot was 2.7s off the leader and just 1.6s behind the second-placed McLaren. But dramatically, on the penultimate lap, as the lead Mercedes crossed the start-finish line it slowed to a halt. It’s retiral promoted Mitchell to second place.
“I tried everything I had to get the win over those final two laps, but in the end I had to settle for second place,” Mitchell, who finished just 1.25s behind the winner, explained.
“Now we head to Donington knowing what we have to do, and that’s to win the final race of the year. With 37.5 points available to the winner of the final race, we’re just 24.5pts behind the championship leader.
“We’ll focus on what we can control, then wait to see what happens with the other cars and drivers. But we’re in for a fantastic end to the season and we’ll be doing everything we can to win the title again.”
Related: Mitchell named Lamborghini factory driver
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Jim McGill