Scots endurance racer Sandy Mitchell was crowned Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Vice Champion after a storming series of performances at the Circuit de Jerez in southern Spain.

The 19-year-old from Forfar, backed by Black Bull Scotch Whisky, delivered a win, a second place and a pole position in the two Lamborghini World Final races. But Mitchell’s achievements were ultimately tinged with controversy.

Partnered by Italian team-mate Andrea Amici in their No. 1 Prestige Performance Lamborghini Huracán, prepared by Wayne Taylor Racing, the duo finished tied on 28 points after the two races with the rival No 31 car. As both cars had recorded a win, a second place and a pole position, a tie-breaker was needed to determine the Pro class World Final champion.

The World Finals mark the end of the season of all of Lamborghini’s one-make series, which also includes Europe and Asia, in addition to North America. Earlier in the week, Mitchell and Amici had clinched a top-three finish in the North American Championship. In the tie-break, though Mitchell and Amici had won more races in their ‘national championship’ than the drivers — Dane Frederick Schandorff and Venezuelan Jonathan Cecotto — in the No31 car, Schandorff had won a number of Lamborghini races in the less-competitive Far East series. This was enough to swing the title in his favour.

Mitchell, part of the Lamborghini Squadra Corse GT3 Junior Program and a member of the prestigious British Racing Drivers’ Club Rising Star scheme, was magnanimous after the podium ceremony:

"I’m proud of what I and Andrea did this week in the No.1 Prestige Performance Lamborghini Huracán, prepared by Wayne Taylor Racing. Our car, plus the No31, competed with and beat the best Lamborghini Super Trofeo drivers, cars and teams in the world. I think both teams performed excellently over the weekend and No31 deserved to win. But it was as close as it could possibly be. To be a dead heat after two races, each with a win, a second place and a pole position, and with less than a second between both cars in both races, shows how close we were."

"To be one of the two cars fighting for the championship right at the end, and finishing tied on points in the World Final is an impressive achievement from me, Andrea and everyone in the Wayne Taylor Racing team. I was really happy with how I drove this weekend. My qualifying sessions were excellent, a pole and P2 by just three one-hundredths in the World Final. I drove a very clean race in the Lamborghini North America Race 1 to win that, then we had to fight through in Race 2 after a fuel issue heading to the grid."

"In the World Final I again drove well. In Race 1 I had a really good battle with the No31 car over the final 20 minutes, finishing just 0.137secs behind him. Today we won Race 2, and significantly they came home second, 0.898secs behind us. “So yeh, it’s been pretty tight. Just a shame the decision has come down solely to the way the rules have been written, which has unfortunately tipped it in their favour."

Mitchell’s performances were praised by Euan Shand, chairman of main sponsor Black Bull Scotch Whisky.

"This year, for the first time, we sponsored Sandy in both North America and European racing. Throughout the season Sandy has delivered exceptional pace and consistency. To come so close to being crowned Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Champion is tough, but we know the experience will just make Sandy more determined than ever going forward. We'll certainly be toasting both Sandy and Andrea with a dram of Black Bull Whisky to celebrate their news."