Spa 24 Hours

Lamborghini Factory Driver, Scot Sandy Mitchell, delivers standout performance in Spa 24-Hours.

Sandy delivered one of the standout drives of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, twice leading the iconic race. But Sandy’s impressive performance, in the latest round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, ended in disappointment when his car suffered a technical problem with nine hours remaining.

“It was a hugely disappointing way for the race to end,” admitted the 25-year-old from Forfar, who partnered fellow Lamborghini factory drivers, Italian Marco Mapelli and Frenchman Franck Perera in the No163 Lamborghini Huracan EVO2 GT3 prepared by top Italian team Vincenzo Sospiri Racing.

Starting from sixth on the 75-car grid in the world’s biggest and most demanding GT3 race, Sandy quickly settled into his rhythm. After the first round of pitstops, with 63-minutes gone, he had powered the #163 into second place. At the two-hour mark he stormed past the #59 McLaren to lead.

Frustratingly, just as he was about to extend his lead, the race was neutralised by a Full Course Yellow following a significant incident. All the leading cars pitted, with Sandy handing the car to Mapelli. Six hours into the race, team-mate Perera pitted from second place handing the car back to Sandy. He immediately rattled off a number of personal best laps round the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit which hosts the F1 Belgian Grand Prix. By the end of his double stint, the former British GT champ, personally-backed by Tunnocks and Dama Fortuna Tequila, had again put the #163 Lambo back into the lead.

“It was fantastic to be battling at the front of the grid and to lead the race during my two opening stints,” Sandy said. “It’s something I’m really proud of. The car and team were performing brilliantly, and to be running consistently in the top three for much of the first-half of the race showed the pace we had.”

Misfortune though was waiting just round the corner. With just over 12 hours remaining the car was forced to pit to have a power steering issue repaired. The delay cost the #163 three laps, putting it out of contention. Three hours later it was forced into retirement with a recurrence of the same problem.

“It’s certainly not the way I wanted the race to end,” stated Sandy, who again displayed his ability to go head-to-head with, and lead, the world’s top GT3 racers. “It’s disappointing because we definitely had a car capable of winning the race. “I’ve got to thank the guys at VSR and Lamborghini Squadra Corse for all the hard work they put into giving me such a terrific car, plus my team-mates Franck and Marco. Also huge congratulations to the #63 Lamborghini and Grasser Racing for winning the Spa24H with a faultless race.”