+ Andrew Howard's British GT contribution also recognised
+ SRO Awards Paris - Photo Gallery
Sandy Mitchell has won British GT’s highest non-championship trophy – the Allan Simonsen Award – for a second time.
The Scot’s 2024 achievements, as well as those of British GT’s overall and class champions, were recognised in Paris this afternoon where SRO’s title winners from around the world were officially crowned.
Rob and Ricky Collard (Barwell Motorsport) collected their GT3 overall trophies along with GT4 counterpart Zac Meakin (his Optimum co-champion Jack Brown couldn't attend), while Adam Smalley was on hand to pick up the GT3 Silver-Am silverware he shares with Shaun Balfe (Garage 59). GT4 Pro-Am went to Charles Dawson and Seb Morris (Team Parker Racing).
Mitchell was beaten to the overall crown by his Barwell team-mates but shone throughout the year in both qualifying and the races. Four wins alongside co-driver Alex Martin helped him finish second in the standings, but his one-lap pace was also imperious: he finished P1 in Q2 four times out of seven and ended the year with an average qualifying position of second, but also claimed two fastest race laps to edge Tom Gamble to Sunoco Fastest Driver of the Year.
Mitchell first claimed the Allan Simonsen Award for his championship-winning exploits in 2020. Announced at the SRO Awards, this trophy is traditionally won by a driver embodying the same speed and spirit that epitomised the series great, who tragically lost his life at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2013. The recipient also tends to be considered British GT’s driver of the season.
He joins fellow countryman Jonny Adam as the only driver to win the award twice.
Elsewhere, two-time race winner Charlie Robertson was named GT4’s Sunoco Fastest Driver of the Year.
There was also special recognition for Beechdean AMR owner Andrew Howard whose 20-year commitment to British GT, SRO and GT racing generally was honoured with the coveted Philippe Charriol Award. A visibly stunned Andrew was a little speechless after receiving the trophy, which is always awarded to an amatuer driver who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport.
Allan Simonsen Award winners:
2024: Sandy Mitchell
2023: Dan Harper
2022: Sennan Fielding
2021: Dennis Lind
2020: Sandy Mitchell
2019: Jonny Adam
2018: Nicki Thiim
2017: Joe Osborne
2016: Phil Keen
2015: Alexander Sims
2014: Jonny Adam
2013: Nick Tandy
