He saw off the challenge of F1 World Champion Max Verstappen in the world’s biggest esports event.
But now Angus endurance ace Sandy Mitchell is fully focused on his real world debut in America’s blue riband 24 Hour sportscar race.
At the weekend, the 21-year-old took on the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours – from the seat of the racing simulator at his rural Angus home.
Mitchell finished just 0.6 seconds off fourth place in the second virtual edition of the French classic.
While headline star Verstappen crashed out from the lead of the race.
With the wick turned up, Mitchell produced a blistering final hour at Le Mans, closing a 25-second gap to fourth to less than a second at the chequered flag.
And as much as he enjoyed the multiple stints in an LMP2 car run by top United Arab Emirates team Yas Heat during the online challenge, he is thrilled to be heading for the Rolex 24 at Daytona later this month the cockpit of his regular Lamborghini Huracan machine.
IMSA debut
It will also mark the young Scot’s first appearance in the USA’s prestigious IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.
Mitchell said: “The Virtual Le Mans 24 was a great challenge and to start from 19th and finish 5th was a brilliant result for the team.”
A fun stint bringing the car into daylight and into P6 overall for @yas_heat . Feeling good in the car, a long way still to go 💪🏼 https://t.co/2Juv90Ksci
— Sandy Mitchell (@SMitchellRacing) January 16, 2022
Now the 2020 British GT champion and Lamborghini factory driver heads to Florida believing his new American team has the potential to mix it at the front of the gruelling Daytona race.
He will partner Lamborghini development driver Corey Lewis, and fellow Americans Jeff Westphal and Robert Megennis in the Peregrine Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo, prepared by CarBahn Motorsports.
The crew will battle it out in the ultra-competitive GTD class of the 61-car field for the 60th running of Daytona 24 at the end of the month.
“I feel we have a strong line-up for the GTD class,” said Mitchell.
Sandy Mitchell ‘prepared to win’ at Daytona
“It’s always a great feeling going into a 24h race, and we head to the start line prepared to win,” he said.
“We know in a 24h race anything can happen, but a good bit of strategy at the right time, allied to good pace, can propel you to be one of the main contenders.
Mitchell, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky, and a member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s elite SuperStars programme, is also looking forward to experiencing the daunting high-speed 3.56-mile Daytona 24 circuit.
It includes an infield road section allied to the high-speed banking of the oval at the famous International Speedway .
“It’s a race I’ve always wanted to do since moving into GT racing,” he explained.
“It’s one of those big ‘bucket list’ GT races. And I’m buzzing to be back racing in the States again.
“Daytona’s a unique circuit.”
And he’s been spending hours on the sim to familiarise himself with its challenges.
“Now I’m really looking forward to getting out there and seeing what it’s all about in real life. I think it’ll be pretty cool,” he added.
He files to the States this week to acquaint himself with his new team, car and circuit in the traditional Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing and qualifying build up to the race on January 29.
Hutchison happy
Meanwhile, Dundee racer Finlay Hutchison was in real-life weekend endurance action at the Hankook Dubai 24 Hours.
Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO racer Hutchison made a highly competitive start to his 2022 season with a seventh place finish in the Middle East.
After qualifying 10th fastest in the headline GT3 class, the Attempto Racing squad ran in the lead group of contenders throughout.
“Our pace was strong all the way throughout the race, we did quite a good job overall and I’m happy with the way we’ve started our racing year,” said Hutchison.
“The Attempto guys did a fantastic job, the Audi R8 is always very reliable and goes the distance in big endurance races – it’s one of the strongest features of the car.”
He now turns his attention to the opening two rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series at Dubai Autodrome on February 12/13 with Attempto.
