Mitchell targets Nurburgring podiumposted in GT04 | 09 | 2020
SEVEN DAYS AFTER claiming his first win in the British GT Championship at Brands Hatch, Scots endurance racer Sandy Mitchell shifts his focus this weekend to the GT World Challenge Europe at the Nurburgring. (Related: Mitchell storms to British GT win)
The 20-year-old from Forfar heads to Germany’s iconic circuit for Sunday’s six-hour race. He will share his Barwell Motorsport-prepared Vimetco Extrusion/Asterus Lamborghini Huracan Evo GT3 with team-mates Rob Collard and Leo Machitski.
And Mitchell, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky, is looking forward to racing on the 3.19-mile, 17-turn circuit — one of the homes of the F1 German Grand Prix — for the first time. (Related: Mitchell bags two British GT podiums)
“I haven’t even been to the Nurburgring, let alone raced on it, so I’m really looking forward to the weekend,” Mitchell, part of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Program and a member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club’s elite SuperStars programme, said. (Related: Mitchell adds GT World Europe to 2020 schedule)
“I have though raced on it ‘virtually’, on my sim at home, so I’ve got the circuit well established in my head. It’s a very technical circuit, with some great corners such as the Schumacher esses. It’s also a very enjoyable lap.”
And the Scot, who shared his Brands Hatch victory with British Touring Car Championship veteran Collard five days ago, is determined to carry forward that level of commitment and success into the second round of the GT World Challenge Europe.
“Rob and I, plus the whole Barwell team, had a terrific weekend at Brands Hatch,” Mitchell continued, “and we’re all eager to maintain that level of performance. It’s terrific that we’re all back on-track just a week later.
“It will also be great to have Leo back in the No 77 car after the opening round at Imola. We know how quick he is, and to be tackling a six-hour race with two fast and reliable team-mates gives us a lot of confidence going into the race weekend. (Related: Mitchell seals British GT Silver win)
“I’m really looking forward to it. I feel good about our driver line-up, and we know how fast the car is. I honestly think we can get a a really good result at the Nurburgring.
“Having said that, these European races are always very competitive, so we know we’ll have to perform to the best of our ability. But we definitely believe we have the package to get us on the podium.”
(Related: Mitchell returns to British GT with Black Bull)
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Jim McGill