Lamborghini factory driver Sandy Mitchell has kept up his impressive debut season in the all-Pro class of Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe.
At Paul Ricard in France, the Angus ace was in brilliant form in both the virtual and real world.
But the 23-year-old and his K-PAX teammates ran out of luck late in the six-hour race when their Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 fell back into the pack after a top six finish appeared on the cards.
Twenty-four hours before the principal on-track action started at the 3.5-mile circuit in southern France, Mitchell pushed Neil Verhagen’s BMW all the way to finish second in the Esports GT Pro sim race.
Day-into-night spectacle
The main event was the gruelling day-into-night six-hour race.
Partnering fellow Lamborghini factory drivers, Italian Marco Mapelli and Frenchman Franck Perera, the California-based team started 16th on the 57-car grid.
Having hauled themselves back up through the field into eighth position overall, and entering the final hour, a mechanical issue at the last pit stop cost time and dropped the car back into the pack.
Mitchell posted a series of fast laps in the French darkness before the setback.
We also have a podium, and some BIG cheques…
Over to you for the presentation, boss 👍 pic.twitter.com/IaOQO8mCB3
— Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (@GTWorldChEu) June 2, 2023
“Overall it’s been another encouraging race for everyone associated with K-Pax Racing and Lamborghini,” said the Black Bull Whisky-backed Forfar driver.
“Qualifying didn’t go our way, simply because there were so many cars on-track.
“But all three of us delivered exceptional stints throughout the race.
“We were on-course for at least a top six finish before the mechanical issue at the end.”
“This was only the second race with the team and the all-new Evo2 Huracan.
“We’ve learned a huge amount again over the six hours.
“One of the biggest targets for the team has always been the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the blue riband event of the championship.
“That’s our next race on July 1/2.”
It’s a race where the young Taysider is already a two-time class winner.
But this will be his first outing in a Pro category car – the pinnacle of GT3 racing.
“We’ve banked a lot of knowledge from the six hours at Paul Ricard,” Mitchell said.
“It’s always seen as the perfect race to build-up to the Spa 24-Hours, and the team has benefitted hugely from running the car in the cooler night-time temperatures here.
“We’ve already completed the testing at Spa, so we know we will again have a super-quick car.
“Now we go away, regroup and return with our eyes targeted on the big prize.”
