Reigning British GT champ Sandy Mitchell can finally add his 2020 silverware haul to the trophy shelf of his Angus home.
The 21-year-old Forfar ace took last season’s series crown with Rob Collard in the Barwell Motorsport-prepared Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, a success which also helped the outfit secure the teams’ championship.
Covid-19 prevented SRO Motorsports Group from staging its annual global awards evening before Christmas.
So it was the opening round of the 2021 title race at Brands Hatch which saw the trophies presented.
Lamborghini factory driver Mitchell went on to land the prestigious Allan Simonsen Award, traditionally won by a driver with the same speed and spirit as epitomised by the late Dane who tragically lost his life at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2013.
Fittingly, Fifer Jonny Adam, a two-time Simonsen award-winner handed over the series’ highest non-championship accolade.
The pair are pals off the track but now fierce rivals on it, with four-time British GT champion Adam returning full-time to the series this year.
Aston Martin factory star Adam has resumed his partnership with Andrew Howard in the Beechdean Vantage GT3 in a quest to repeat their 2015 title triumph.
They made a terrific start to their campaign with a second place finish in the Brands Hatch opener.
Mission Impossible
Mitchell, on the other hand, was left with a ‘mission impossible’ after his new teammate, Adam Balon, was spun into the gravel of the Kent circuit.
The incident a third of the way into the two-hour race left the No. 1 Lamborghini crew four laps down on the field.
🟡 SAFETY CAR 🟡
Balon and Cottingham have come to blows at Paddock Hill!
LIVE: https://t.co/RzsIMqs97d pic.twitter.com/oRn08wAa2G
— 🇬🇧 #BritishGT 🏁 (@BritishGT) May 23, 2021
British Racing Drivers’ Club Super Star scheme ace Mitchell was 21st overall and eighth in the GT3 Pro-Am when he took over.
He powered through the backmarkers to finish 12th overall.
“It’s certainly not the way we wanted to start the season,” said the Black Bull Whisky-backed driver.
Pace
“It’s hugely frustrating and disappointing that Adam was taken out by the other car, but it was just one of these things,” added Mitchell.
“Adam was staying out of trouble and maintaining a good pace.
“As it was, when I took the car over it was carrying a load of gravel and dust from the contact, plus we opted to fit used tyres rather than waste new Pirellis in the second stint as we were so far back,
“It’s testament to the way the boys at Barwell build the car that it was able to not only survive the impact, but that we were able to race it hard for another 75 minutes to the finish.”
“We were left with something of a mission impossible after Adam was punted off.
“But the fact we still had excellent pace, and we were able to finish the full race distance to score points was crucial.
“We both know how close this championship is going to be, so every point is vital.
“We’ve eight races left in the season, and we’re going to fight all the way in the championship.”