Lamborghini Factory Driver, Sandy targeting Donington hat-trick to boost British GT title push with Black Bull and Barwell.

Lamborghini Factory Driver, Sandy targeting Donington hat-trick to boost British GT title push with Black Bull and Barwell.

Former champ Sandy heads to Donington Park this weekend (Sept 7/8) targeting his third-straight win at the Derbyshire circuit. And the 24-year-old from Forfar knows victory in the 36-car field would significantly boost his bid to claim a second British GT Championship crown.

Sandy, partnered by co-driver Alex Martin in their No 78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2, prepared by Barwell Motorsport, heads into the penultimate two-hour race of the season just five points behind championship leaders, fellow Barwell drivers Rob and Ricky Collard in the sister #63 Lamborghini.

Hot on the heels of the two Barwell Lamborghini cars in third place is the #59 McLaren of Shaun Balfe, Sandy’s 2023 team-mate, and Adam Smalley. The McLaren is 16 points adrift of Sandy and Martin, with a total of 75 points still up for grabs in the final two races. At Barwell, the two Lamborghinis could well clinch the Team’s Championship this weekend if results go in their favour, but Sandy’s primary focus is on winning at Donington again and re-establishing a lead over their closest rivals.

“This has been a real ding-dong season between our two Lamborghini GT3 Huracans,” Sandy, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky and Tunnocks, said. “Both cars and crews have led the championship. Now we need to make sure we get the result we need to ensure we’re leading when we head to the final race at Brands Hatch at the end of the month.”

Sandy and Martin had looked as if they had established a healthy lead in the title race when they crossed the finish line to win the second one-hour race at Snetterton last time out. But stewards issued a 30-second post-race penalty which dropped the #78 from first to 10th, denying the duo their fourth win in seven races this season.

“That’s in the past,” Sandy stated. “We’ve dealt with it. Now we know what we have to do to in the final two races. Donington has always been good to me. I love racing at the circuit, and hopefully we can bag another win this weekend.”

Sandy has claimed victory in the last two races at the 2.49-mile circuit, including the two-hour finale last season, and most recently the chaotic three-hour race in May in partnership with Martin. “We’re both quick at Donington, so hopefully given the fact our Lamborghini is also fast at the circuit we can be fighting at the front again,” Sandy continued. “But we know it’s going to be tough. And it’s not just Rob and Ricky; there are a number of other crews and cars with the pace to win.”

The result at Snetterton in July means Sandy and Martin go into Sunday’s race without any success time penalties to serve at their pitstop. Other championship contenders, however, will serve success penalties, ranging from 20-seconds to 10secs at their pitstops midway through the race.
“Obviously those success penalties are a factor,” Sandy admitted, “but it’s not what we’re focusing on. Alex and I know the job we have to do this weekend, and with the strength of the Barwell crew behind us we’re only focused on winning.”