Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse driver Sandy Mitchell will head to Oulton Park for the latest round of the British GT Championship (May 28-30) just hours after finishing his final school exam.
The 16-year-old from Letham, in Angus — who will again partner 19-year-old fellow Scot Ciaran Haggerty, in the Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4 — has sat eight Scottish National Five exams in the four weeks since racing at Rockingham.
“I’ve had two each week, and the last one finishes around 2.30pm on Friday afternoon,” Mitchell, who impressed during his opening stint at Rockingham, explained. “I’ll come straight out of the exam hall, jump in the car and travel directly to Oulton with my dad.
“So far I’ve done English, Maths, Geography, French, Chemistry, and Engineering Science. The last two are Physics, with Computing on Friday.”
And Mitchell, who along with Haggerty, was denied a potential victory at Rockingham due to a pitlane infringement penalty, feels he benefitted from his time in the car at the Northamptonshire track.“Rockingham was great. I had a solid hour in the McLaren with no safety cars, or any other interruptions,” Mitchell continued. “Completing a full stint at race pace was a great experience.
“I was really happy with the way I performed, and there’s no doubt it’ll give me more confidence going into Oulton Park and the next few rounds.”
For Haggerty, returning to Oulton Park for the two one-hour races on Bank Holiday Monday (May 30) brings back positive memories.
“Oulton was the first track I raced at away from my home circuit at Knockhill, and where I scored my first significant result away from home,” Haggerty, from Johnstone, said.“In 2014 I raced Formula Ford at Oulton, and won a race, then last year I raced Formula 4 and finished second. “I love the track; it’s one I’ve done really well at, and I enjoy driving it. I’m looking forward to going back there again with the Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4.“Hopefully we can have a good result again, this time on my first outing in the British GT Championship at the circuit. We showed at Rockingham that we have the pace, so we’re targeting at least a podium at Oulton.”And the two talented young Scots were praised by Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse team principal Hugh McCaig.“The young lads have been brilliant,” McCaig said, “and it was unfortunate they had to serve the penalty they did last time out at Rockingham. “But lessons have been learned within the team, and those mistakes won’t happen again, because it cost the guys a win.“Hopefully they’ll get the result at Oulton which their performances at Rockingham deserved.”
QUOTES:Sandy Mitchell — Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4 driver“Oulton Park is an awesome track to race on. It’s pretty tight, so it’ll be difficult for overtaking: qualifying will be especially important this weekend. But there are a lot of quick corners, and it’ll be great fun. I’m really looking forward to driving the Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4 at the circuit.“Rockingham was great. I had a solid hour in the McLaren with no safety cars, or any other interruptions. Completing a full stint at race pace was a great experience.“I was really happy with the way I performed, and there’s no doubt it’ll give me more confidence going into Oulton Park and the next few rounds.”
Ciaran Haggerty — Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4 driver“In 2014 I raced Formula Ford at Oulton, and won, then last year I raced Formula 4 and finished second. “I love the track; it’s one I’ve done really well at, and I enjoy driving it. I’m looking forward to going back there again with the Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse McLaren 570S GT4.“I think, now that we have the set-up dialled in and we’ve got our head around the car, we should again be able to be right on the pace.“We have to aim high now, having seen what we, and the car, are capable off last time out at Rockingham where we were in with a chance of winning. We showed there that we have the pace, so we’re targeting at least a podium at Oulton.”
Euan Shand, CEO of sponsors, Black Bull Scotch Whisky: “Following the performance by the two young guys at Rockingham, we’re obviously looking forward to this weekend. Last time they were hit by a pitlane infringement penalty, but the car and team showed they have the capabilities of securing at least podium place. We’re fully prepared now to maximise our potential at Oulton Park, and wish the team all the best.”
ECURIE ECOSSE BACKGROUNDEcurie Ecosse was formed in 1951 by Edinburgh accountant David Murray. Under his leadership the team achieved a huge number of international race victories, the most prestigious being overall victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1956, and finishing 1st and 2nd in the same race in 1957. Ecurie Ecosse took the racing world by storm and to this day has an unprecedented reputation as a winning formula. In 1983 Ecurie Ecosse Association Member and Edinburgh businessman Hugh McCaig took control of the team and led it on to further great success, including: 1985: 2nd, C2 World Sportscar Championship1986: Winners, C2 World Sports Car Championship1987: Winners, Index Of Performance, Le Mans 24 Hours* 2nd in class and 8th overall, Le Mans 24 Hours 2nd, C2 World Sportscar Championship1988: Winners, British Thunder Saloons Championship1995: Winners, British Touring Car Championship2013: 3rd, British GT Championship (Drivers') 3rd, European Le Mans Series (GTC)2014: Winners, British GT Championship (Drivers') 3rd, British GT Championship (Teams' with Barwell Motorsport) 3rd, Blancpain Endurance Series Pro-Am (Teams' with Barwell Motorsport) 3rd, Blancpain Endurance Series Pro-Am (Drivers')2015: Winners, British GT Championship (Teams' with Barwell Motorsport) 2nd, British GT Championship (Drivers')*This is awarded for the best performance in terms of the combination of speed and fuel efficiency.Three Formula One World Champions and every Scottish Formula One winner has raced for Ecurie Ecosse. They were the first privately entered outfit to beat works teams in the British Touring Car Championship. An extraordinary list of legendary drivers have raced for Ecurie Ecosse including Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart, Ian Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jack Brabham, Innes Ireland, Masten Gregory, Roy Salvadori, Richard Attwood, Ron Flockhart, Brian Redman, David Coulthard, Allan McNish, Johnny Dumfries, David Leslie and Tom Walkinshaw. Ecurie Ecosse remains one of the world’s most important and influential teams still in existence, while there are very few still operating today that have such a rich and historical background.
