+ Result, Pre-Qualifying Donington Park
Sandy Mitchell emerged on top of a tricky Pre-Qualifying hour at Donington Park, picking his moments perfectly to snatch the top time aboard the #78 Barwell Lamborghini he shares with Alex Martin.
Improving conditions in the late stages led to a flurry of late GT4 improvements, with Luca Hopkinson and Harry George’s Optimum McLaren taking full advantage to lead the way ahead of Qualifying.
The session went green amid strong winds and driving rain, with Maximilian Götz (2 Seas Mercedes-AMG), Marvin Kirchhöfer (Optimum McLaren) and Mitchell trading the early benchmark before handing to their Am team-mates for the middle stages.
Things remained static until the final 15 minutes when the rain eased and a drier line emerged, leading times to tumble on the run to the flag. Hugo Cook (Barwell Lamborghini), Sam Neary (Abba Mercedes) and Martin Plowman (Paddock McLaren) were the first to improve before Mitchell pulled 0.7s on everybody. However, with the Pros back out and all going for it, Mitchell had to go again.
His final effort proved fastest overall, keeping the #78 out front by 0.3s from Götz, Sven Müller (Team Parker Porsche) and the impressive Mark Smith aboard the Paddock McLaren. Kirchhöfer and Rob Collard rounded out the top six.
It was a similarly breathless finish in GT4, with Hopkinson leaving it late to strike. Seb Morris and Jack Brown took turns out front at the start in the Team Parker Mercedes and title-chasing Optimum Artura respectively.
Brown’s best stood for much of the session before Branden Templeton (Century BMW) bettered it. Morris fought back before Hopkinson took his first turn out front, only to then be displaced by Brown’s team-mate Marc Warren.
A late improvement from Charlie Robertson in the #71 Century BMW looked to have settled the contest but he was shuffled back by both Hopkinson’s final run and Owen Hizzy, who continued an eye-catching start to the weekend for the MKH Aston Martin. Warren and Brown were fourth, ahead of Morris and Ed McDermott.
Qualifying is scheduled to begin at 15:50.