Mitchell fired-up for BritGT finale 15 | 10 | 2021

    SCOTS ENDURANCE RACER and British GT champ, Sandy Mitchell, heads to Donington Park this weekend for the season finale still locked in an intense battle which could see him retain his British GT Championship title. (Related: Mitchell podium sets up BritGT thriller)

    And the 21-year-old from Forfar, partnered by team-mate Adam Balon in the No 1 (#1) Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, prepared by Barwell Motorsport, has only one target in mind: “We have to win the race.”

    Mitchell starts the two-hour race at the Leicestershire circuit 26.5 points behind the championship leaders, intriguingly the #63 sister Barwell Lamborghini. But with 37.5 points available to the race winners, the Scot is fired-up for maximum assault. (Related: Mitchell bags Snetterton podium)

    “The first goal for Adam and I is simply to go out and win the race,” Mitchell, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky, Tunnocks and Thorntons Solicitors, stated.

    “That’s the one piece of the weekend we can control directly. After that, it’s a case of seeing where the other cars finish in the race. It’s going to be a real nailbiter.”

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    Mitchell’s challenge this weekend became all the more difficult following the post-race disqualification of another car from the last round at Oulton Park. While it promoted Mitchell and Balon from third to second place in Race 2, it also ultimately benefited the #63 car, extending its championship advantage from 21.5pts to 26.5pts.

    “That was hard to take,” Mitchell, a Lamborghini factory driver, in addition to being a member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s elite SuperStars programme, explained, “but that’s motor racing. (Related: Mitchell storms to Spa24H podium)

    “The other direct impact of being promoted to second at Oulton Park is we now also have to serve a 15-second success penalty at our mandatory pitstop at Donington. The #63 has no penalties to serve. So it’s going to be tough.”

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    But Mitchell has experienced championship-winning pressure before.Twelve months ago the Scot entered the final race weekend at Silverstone knowing a race win would clinch his maiden championship.

    “Winning the final race at Silverstone to seal the championship last season was fantastic,” Mitchell reflected. “Now we need to win the final race of 2021 at Donington. If we can achieve that, then the rest is in the lap of the Gods.”

    Related: Scot Sandy Mitchell wins British GT Championship

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    Jim McGill

    All photographs copyright of Jakob Ebrey

     

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