Paul Ricard 1000Km with top Italian Team VSR

LAMBORGHINI FACTORY DRIVER, SCOT SANDY MITCHELL, HEADS TO PAUL RICARD 1000Km FOR EUROPEAN PRO OPENER WITH TOP ITALIAN TEAM VSR

Sandy starts his PRO campaign in this year’s GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup when he tackles Saturday’s (April 12) six-hour, Paul Ricard 1000Km in southern France. The 25-year-old from Forfar, fresh from a dazzling podium finish in the opening round of the British GT Championship at Donington Park, will pilot the No 163 Lamborghini Huracan EVO2 GT3 prepared by top Italian team VSR.

Sandy: “I’m really looking forward to getting back into a full PRO car for the Endurance Cup,” stated Mitchell, who will reunite with fellow Lamborghini factory drivers and former team-mates, Italian Marco Mapelli and Frenchman Franck Perera. “We drove together back in 2023 and we’re all fired-up for our GTWCE assault this season.”

The six-hour race — the traditional season-opener for what is acknowledged as one of the toughest GT championships in the world, and which includes the iconic Spa24Hrs in June — this year has a highly competitive 59-car grid. Starting at 6pm local time (5pm UK) on Saturday, the endurance event runs through early evening into dusk before finishing in darkness. It’s a challenge Sandy relishes.

Sandy: “I’ve always loved the increased demands of racing through into the darkness,” the former British GT champ, personally-backed by Tunnocks and Dama Fortuna Tequila, said. “It will be fantastic to be back racing at Paul Ricard as the Lamborghini is perfectly suited to the fast, sweeping nature of the 3.5-mile circuit. Not only am I looking forward to working again with Franck and Marco, but it’s also exciting to be involved with a new team, especially a top Italian one. VSR has won countless trophies with Lamborghini in the last 10 years and it would be fantastic to add the GTWCE Endurance Cup to the list.”

The condensed format of the GTWCE weekend sees Sandy and his team-mates have a two-hour Free Practice session on Friday afternoon followed by a 60-minute Pre-Qualifying in the evening. The 60-minute qualifying session takes place on Saturday morning ahead of the six-hour race in the evening.