Angus teenager Sandy Mitchell experienced the thrill of thundering his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 race car through the streets of Spa ahead of the biggest race of his career over the legendary Belgian Formula One track.
Tens of thousands lined the streets for the traditional drivers’ parade ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa – the blue riband event of the Blancpain GT Endurance Series – with 18-year-old Mitchell given the honour of taking the Black Bull Whisky-backed Lamborghini V10 through the historic town.
A cavalcade of ferocious modern machinery and classic race cars thrilled the massive crowds on a sun-kissed Wednesday evening and the Angus racer described the experience as a massive privilege after being given the honour of piloting the #78 car for the parade.
Wow what a privilege to drive the @BlackBullWhisky @BarwellMotorSpt #78 into Spa for the @BlancpainGT @24HoursofSpa parade. Amazing to see so many people on the road and in the town! @LamborghiniSC @dtcwhiskies @ChristieDigital @STAMPEDEglobal @BRDCRisingStars pic.twitter.com/dy7CT0FPHl
— Sandy Mitchell (@SMitchellRacing) July 25, 2018
Having taken victory in the last Blancpain GT outing at the Paul Ricard 1000kms, British Racing Drivers’ Club Rising Star member Mitchell is aiming to build on that success at famous Spa Francorchamps.
Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 junior program driver Mitchell and teammates 23-year-old Italian Michele Beretta and 20-year-old Croatian Martin Kodric have now catapulted themselves into championship contention.
They will be joined this weekend by young Dutchman Rik Breukers, who claimed victory in a GT3 Huracan at the Daytona 24 Hours in the USA earlier this year.
Mitchell said: ”We’ve got four good, strong, fast drivers in the Black Bull Lamborghini for Spa, and we know from the performances we had in the test day at the track that the car’s quick.
“I really enjoyed driving the GT3 Lamborghini round Spa. Previously I’d only done it in the GT4 car, but the GT3 made everything so much more impressive.
Great end to an amazing day!! Taking our @BlackBullWhisky @BarwellMotorSpt back to the @24HoursofSpa ? pic.twitter.com/yO77nhUpd0
— Sandy Mitchell (@SMitchellRacing) July 25, 2018
“I was able to carry a lot more speed through the iconic corners like Eau Rouge and Blanchimont; they became so much faster rather than having to brake a bit in the GT4. Now it’s almost flat-out, so it was a cool experience.”
Last season the talented young Scot set a GT4 Spa track record, clocking two minutes 33 seconds round the 4.35-mile circuit.
On the Spa test day, driving the Barwell Motorsport-prepared Lamborghini GT3, he lapped 15 seconds faster, stopping the clock at 2:18s.
He added: “I did the Silverstone 24Hr race in March, driving an Audi RS3 LMS, to get some 24-hour experience ahead of Spa.
“The experience was great and I think it’s really benefitted me. The key to delivering a strong result in the race is making sure you stay consistent throughout the two-hour stints and the whole race.
“But without question, the most important facet is to ensure we have a clean race and stay out of trouble and the pits.
“For our championship hopes, this weekend is crucial. There are double points for the Spa24Hr, and whoever banks those will have a huge advantage in the race to win the championship.”
