Scotland’s youngest ever single-seater winner will make his home race debut this weekend at the track which fuelled his motorsport ambitions.
Angus teenager Sandy Mitchell penned his entry in the Scottish record books earlier this season with a double win at Hampshire’s ultra-fast Thruxton circuit in the MSA Formula series the only single-seat championship in Britain for racers as young as 15.
This weekend the series is at Knockhill in its regular place on the support package for the British Touring Car Championship and the Letham 15-year-old is relishing the prospect of performing before a home crowd in his Ford EcoBoost-powered TRS-Arden prepared machine.
Sandy was only three when he saw his dad, Steve, race a Mini at Scotland’s national motorsport centre so the packed weekend programme will bring a reversal of roles for the proud father as he watches from the pit wall his highly-rated son’s bid to cement a strong position in the overall championship standings.
Dundee High School youngster Sandy made the step-up to cars after a sparkling karting career which culminated in the 2014 British Super One Junior Max title and has impressed in the international field of the new championship.
However, like Courier Country touring car star Gordon Shedden, Sandy endured a tough previous round at Snetterton in Norfolk and as one of the youngest on the MSA Formula grid is hoping to quickly get to grips with the Fife circuit.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Sandy, who is grateful for backing from a host of forward-looking Scottish and UK companies including Close Brothers Asset Management, Thorntons Law, Stirfresh, Tunnock’s, HBB GeoSales, Smartcomm and The Stag.
“It’s a very challenging circuit because of all the undulations, and it’s quite narrow, so it will be difficult to overtake.
“We’ve had only one test day there, so I’ve not much experience, but I’ve been going to Knockhill from a young age to watch.”
He added: “It was quite special for me in the pre-season test to get out on the track and to drive it for the first time. My dad did a bit of club racing in Minis and I went along to watch him race, and I have been a spectator at the BTCC meetings quite a few times, so it feels good to be going back to compete at one.
“Obviously it would be nice to get on the podium but mostly I’ll be trying to score some consistent points over the weekend. I have had so many ups and downs this year and weekends where I haven’t scored points, so I just need to try to score as many as I can.”
The Knockhill MSA Formula action begins with two timed official test sessions tomorrow, followed on Saturday by qualifying and the first of the weekend’s three races. Sunday afternoon’s finale will be screened live on ITV4.