Angus racer Sandy Mitchell has vowed to be back on the top step of the world’s toughest GT3 race after fate dealt a hammer blow to his hopes of a fifth successive Spa 24 Hours podium.
The Forfar 22-year-old dazzled in the darkness of the iconic Spa-Francorchamps home of the Belgian Grand Prix to storm to Gold Cup pole position.
Lamborghini factory driver Mitchell was the star performer in the Barwell Motorsport-prepared Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo alongside England’s Alex MacDowall and Sam De Haan, plus Oman racer Ahmad Al Harthy.
Incident-packed 24 hours
But their No. 77 machine endured a torrid time in a race of high attrition.
However, they were fighting back into podium contention as dawn broke over the 4.3-mile Ardennes forest circuit on Sunday morning.
Then, with around nine hours remaining, the Lamborghini suffered a rare mechanical failure which halted the charge of the Black Bull Whisky-backed machine.
Mitchell though was far from downhearted after the retirement.
“Everyone in the Barwell team, and all the drivers, put in a stellar performance both in the build-up and throughout the 24-hour race,” he said.
“We showed again just what a fast package we have.
“It’s just unfortunate that for the first time in five years the car suffered an unknown mechanical failure.
“But we’ll be back again next year ready to fight for the win.”
Around a third of the field failed to make it to the chequered flag in front of a crowd of nearly 75,000 race fans.
Remarkable Spa record
The former Dundee High School pupil came within two seconds of a winning debut in 2018, before going on to win the Silver Cup class there in 2019 and 2020.
He was third in the Pro-Am category last year, and started the race for the team from the Gold Cup pole position and 29th overall on the 66-car grid.
Within half an hour the 2020 British GT champion had stretched his advantage over Gold Cup rivals but suffered the first of the car’s three punctures in the race.
“We don’t know specifically what caused them, but this year a lot of cars in the field suffered a number of punctures,” he said.
It dropped the car to last place, but in the Spa darkness a series of scintillating stints brought the No. 77 back up the field.
Massive fightback
“We knew we could get ourselves back into Gold Cup contention, and ideally the top 20 overall,” said Mitchell.
“So we all just battered away clawing time back to the cars in front.
“It really was a massive commitment by everyone in the team,” he continued.
But with just over nine hours of the race remaining, and hunting down the third-placed Gold Cup car, the team was unfortunately forced to retire the Lamborghini.
“Of course it was hugely disappointing after all the effort everyone had put in, but sometimes motorsport just deals you a hand like that,” Mitchell reflected.
“It was one of these situations which was completely out of our control and there was nothing we could do.
“But we’ll come back next year ready to win.”
Mitchell is back in action for the penultimate round of the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch on September 10/11.
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