Barwell steps up to fight for overall GTWC Europe victories with top-class entry

Barwell Motorsport will fight for outright GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS victories in 2025 after revealing its first-ever entry into the championship’s Pro category.

Having repeatedly proven itself a formidable force in the Pro-Am, Bronze and Silver classes, this year the Surrey team will make the move into the championship’s top tier with Lamborghini Squadra Corse factory ace Sandy Mitchell and rising British star Hugo Cook set to share a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 in the full Sprint Cup campaign. The entry will wear the stunning Mexican-inspired livery of Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila.

This entry joins the already confirmed Silver Cup entry, which will be shared by Adam Ali, Christian Bogle and Bijoy Garg in both the GTWC Endurance and Sprint Cup contests. This means Barwell will field a single car in Endurance, and a twin attack in Sprint this season.

In what will be Barwell Motorsport’s 10th season competing with Lamborghini Squadra Corse, the Pro class entry will pit the team against the world’s best GT3 drivers. With multiple European successes already to its name, Barwell is well equipped to take on the challenge. Last season the team sprung a shock at Barcelona by recording its first-ever outright GTWC pole position, beating a world-class Pro field to top spot despite running as a Bronze entry.

Scotsman Mitchell has been a mainstay of Barwell’s racing programmes over recent years and continues to go from strength to strength. British GT champion in 2020, he has twice been a class winner at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – both with Barwell in 2019 and 2020 – and will continue to mix his GTWC programme with British GT appearances.

Despite being just 20 years old, Cook has progressed hugely across his relatively short GT3 career so far. A dominant 2023 GT Cup season in the UK was followed by a breakout international campaign last year where he successfully combined a full British GT season with his debut in the GT World Challenge Europe. Cook helped the CSA Racing Audi squad to a class pole at Jeddah last year, and gained vital experience of the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 from appearances at Circuit Paul Ricard and the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa with GRT – Grasser Racing Team.

Cook will also do double duty with Barwell this year, having also signed up for a full British GT programme alongside reigning champion Rob Collard, maximising his mileage aboard the Huracan GT3 EVO2. Mitchell will compete in selected British GT rounds alongside Alex Martin in the sister Barwell Lamborghini.

Sandy Mitchell says: “I’m really looking forward to this season, and I’m excited to be a part of Barwell’s first entry into the Pro class of the GT World Challenge Europe. I've competed in the Pro class before, and know how much of a challenge awaits us, but I'm certain we're well equipped for it. It’s a big year for the whole team, but we have repeatedly shown we can go up against the best in the business and get results, so it’s really exciting for everyone. Working with Hugo should be great. He’s a hungry, young driver with so much potential and he’s keen to learn, plus he’s a great guy to have around. The fact we’ll be working together in British GT is also a bonus as we essentially get double the mileage and can arrive at every European round fully up to speed and ready to go. I can’t wait to get started.”

Hugo Cook says: “It’s no secret this is a big season for me, but I undoubtedly feel ready for it. My first experience of the GT World Challenge last year was a real learning curve, mostly because I lacked stability, driving for three different teams in two different makes of car. Being with Barwell this year for both GTWC and British GT will be a fantastic experience as it means I get to maximise my mileage in the same car and form some real bonds within the team, which I couldn’t do last year. GTWC is just a huge championship to be a part of because there’s more of everything, with loads of professional teams and drivers and some huge grids. Small mistakes get punished much more and you have to execute race weekends perfectly to bring results. Working alongside Sandy in both championships will be brilliant. He’s a top driver with great speed and experience and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can learn from him. Together I believe we can achieve some great results this year.”

Barwell Motorsport team principal Mark Lemmer adds: “Our move up to the Pro class of the GT World Challenge Europe has been a long time coming, and I’m really excited about it. Without the backing of Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila this programme wouldn't be possible, so huge thanks to them for their amazing support. As a team we’ve proven time and again that we can succeed in the world’s toughest GT3 championship, and this year we’re aiming to make our mark in the top class. We have two very fast, very ambitious young drivers and I have every confidence that Sandy and Hugo will form a strong bond straight away.

“Sandy is perhaps one of the most knowledgeable Huracan GT3 drivers out there having raced the car in every iteration in multiple championships… and he’s still only 24! Hugo is still early into his GT3 career but showed his huge potential last season during his appearances in GTWC Europe. He certainly doesn’t lack speed and he’ll learn a lot from sharing a car with Sandy.

“The fact both drivers will also be working with us in British GT this year – albeit on opposite sides of the garage – is a big bonus as it will not only maximise their mileage, but will also foster a good atmosphere inside the team. We freely exchange information across both cars, so all drivers have the chance to learn and improve, and this will be key in hitting our targets for 2025.”

Founder of Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila, Euan Shand, adds: "This is shaping up to be a very exciting season, and we at Dama Fortuna Premium Tequila are immensely proud to be supporting this programme. I have known the Barwell team for many years and have witnessed the hard work and passion that it puts into its racing activities, and the huge successes it has enjoyed as a result. I have no doubt the team can thrive in the top class of GT World Challenge Europe. It's also fantastic to see Sandy as part of the programme. He's got such a great history with the team and I think he and Hugo will form a formidable partnership this season. We wish the drivers, and the team the very best of luck."

The five-round GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup season gets underway at Brands Hatch on May 3/4. However, Barwell’s European season begins before that with its Silver Cup entry being in action for the first Endurance Cup event at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 11-13.