Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe

Lamborghini factory driver, Scot Sandy, delivered a strong performance in the latest round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, the centenary running of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, with Black Bull and Barwell, but ultimately misfortune dictated the outcome of his race.

Sandy, partnered by American-based Englishman Till Bechtolsheimer, Frenchman Antoine Doquin and England’s Ricky Collard in the No 78 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo 2 prepared by Barwell Motorsport, started the 66-car race from fifth in the ultra-competitive Bronze Cup class. The 24-year-old from Forfar completed his opening double-stint, during which his lap times matched those of the leading PRO cars with a fastest of 2mins 17.563secs, having moved the #78 Lamborghini up to second in class.

But in a race which was heavily affected by hours of torrential rain throughout the late evening and during the night, Lady Luck deserted the car.
First Bechtolsheimer was pitched into the gravel following contact from the #3 Mercedes. With the car beached, he had to wait for the ever-efficient marshals to extract him and allow the Lamborghini to rejoin the race. Then, following another trip to the gravel, the #78 was forced to pit for repairs when an oil pressure alarm came on in the car.

“That cost us more than 20 minutes while the Barwell crew identified the problem and made running repairs to the car,” Sandy, personally backed by Huntly-based Black Bull Scotch Whisky and Tunnocks, explained. “The contact from the Mercedes was unfortunate as that immediately put us a lap down. But we were fighting back through the field before the car suffered the technical problem which was probably triggered by the off. After that it was a case of getting back in the car and fighting back to make sure we could finish in the top 10. All three guys were right on the pace throughout the race, so to finish 10th in class after the problems we had was a solid achievement. But we know that but for the early contact and the subsequent problem we’d have not only been on course for a podium, but possibly the class win. But this year it just wasn’t to be.”

An indication of exactly what might have been for Sandy came in the performance of the sister #72 Barwell Lamborghini which finished third in the Bronze Cup.
“That was a great result for the team and highlighted the pace we also had in the car,” Sandy continued. “Big congrats to the team for achieving the podium, and the performance of the #72 merely highlights what we could have achieved but for the misfortune we suffered. But that’s endurance racing.”

Sandy, the 2020 British GT champ and leader of this year’s championship, returns to action in the Barwell Lamborghini for the next round at Snetterton next month.