Mitchell dazzles on all-PRO GT3 debut 23 | 04 | 2023
LAMBORGHINI FACTORY DRIVER, Forfar’s Sandy Mitchell, delivered a dazzling stint on his debut in the Pro class of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe at the iconic Monza track in Italy, writes Jim McGill. (Related: Mitchell gets all-PRO Euro Lambo seat)
But having put his K-PAX Racing Huracan GT3 Evo2 right in the fight for an overall top-three finish in the three-hour race, the 23-year-old SCOT could only look on as his Lamborghini suffered an issue as it exited the pits for the final stint, forcing it into retirement.
“That’s racing,” Mitchell, who shares the GT3 car with fellow Lamborghini factory drivers, Frenchman Franck Perera and Italian Marco Mapelli, stated. “Everyone in the K-PAX Racing team did a fantastic job throughout the weekend at Monza. The car was brilliant throughout free practice, qualifying, and the opening two one-hour stints. (Related: Mitchell returns to British GT for 2023)
“Starting from eighth on the 55-car grid, Franck did a fantastic job through the opening stint, managing to keep out of trouble, especially at the first corner, and had moved us up fifth overall when he pitted to hand the car to me.”
Mitchell, the 2020 British GT champ and personally backed by Huntly-Based Black Bull Scotch Whisky, rejoined in fifth and immediately set about overhauling the fourth-place Mercedes, eventually passing with an audacious overtake into the first chicane.
The Scot then rattled off a series of quick laps of the ultra-fast 3.6-mile, 11-turn Monza circuit, which hosts the F1 Italian Grand Prix, to close the gap to the third-placed BMW from 4.248secs to 0.949s. (Related: Mitchell re-writes British GT record books at Spa)
“Once I got clear of the Mercedes I was able to settle into a super rhythm and gradually close the gap to the top three cars ahead of us,” Mitchell explained. “The car was brilliant right through my one-hour stint and we were definitely in with a great chance of an overall podium finish.”
As the final round of pitstops unfolded, the three leading cars pitted first, meaning Mitchell actually led the race when he brought his #6 Lamborghini in to hand over to Mapelli. But as the Italian filtered the car back on to the race track, the issue at the front-left of the Huracan became immediately apparent. The Italian was then forced to retire the car at the second chicane.
“Of course it’s disappointing for everyone in the team,” Mitchell admitted, “but it’s just one of those things that happens sometimes.
“What’s important is we all focus on the strong points of the weekend. This was our first time all working together at a race weekend, and we proved we can deliver a car which is not only fast, but capable of winning races. Next time we’ll come back even stronger.”
Related: Mitchell named Lamborghini factory driver
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Jim McGill