Thrilling British GT Donington Race Ends in Triumph for Mitchell and Martin
Donington Park, [Current Date] – The recent British GT Championship race at Donington Park was a true spectacle, filled with drama from start to finish. In a race that saw rain, crashes, and multiple cars stranded in the gravel, Barwell Motorsport’s Sandy Mitchell and Alex Martin emerged victorious after a mesmerizing final stint by Mitchell.
The chaos began even before the race started, with a yellow warning for heavy rain prompting teams to be ready for changing conditions. As the cars rolled out onto the grid, a sudden downpour transformed the circuit into a treacherous challenge for the slick-shod GT cars. Sensibly, the start was aborted, and the teams swapped to wet-weather tires.
When the race finally got underway, strategic decisions played a crucial role. Ram Racing’s gamble to pit early and switch to Raffaele Marciello and a new set of wet tires initially seemed like a masterstroke. However, as the track began to dry, Marciello struggled to manage the wets on the increasingly drier circuit, ultimately forcing the team to swap him out for slicks.
The changing conditions created numerous opportunities for the top contenders. Adam Smalley in the Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo took the lead, but the relentless Mitchell in the Barwell Lamborghini soon relegated him to third. Just as the drivers were starting to settle into their rhythm, another heavy downpour struck, catching several cars out and leading to a red flag.
After the restart, the action continued to unfold, with numerous Full Course Yellows needed to recover cars that had made mistakes. In the closing stages, it was a thrilling battle for the lead, with Mitchell and Tom Gamble in the Optimum McLaren 720S GT3 Evo putting immense pressure on Phil Keen in the leading Mercedes-AMG GT3. Mitchell’s perfectly timed move allowed him to take the lead, and Gamble followed shortly after, securing a 1-2 finish for the Barwell and Optimum teams.
“It was an intense and challenging race, but the team did an excellent job, and I’m delighted to come away with the victory,” said a jubilant Sandy Mitchell after the race.
In the GT4 class, Jack Brown and Zac Meakin of Optimum Motorsport demonstrated their composure and skill, securing a well-deserved victory after a tight battle with the Forsetti Motorsport Aston Martin.
The next round of the British GT Championship will take place at Spa-Francorchamps on June 22-23, a week before the prestigious Spa 24 Hours endurance race. Fans can look forward to more thrilling action as the series continues its journey.
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