Motorbase Performance’s flourishing Driver Academy has welcomed another exceptional young talent to its ranks this week, with highly rated Wrotham racer Jack Mitchell renewing his association with his local team.
Marking a true homecoming for the 24-year-old, who lives just a stone’s throw from the Motorbase workshops in the Kent village, Mitchell was linked with the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship squad back in 2014 when racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship – winning the title.
This past weekend at Donington Park in Leicestershire, where Motorbase got its 2022 BTCC season underway with its NAPA Racing UK and Apec Racing with Beavis Morgan entries, Mitchell joined the Quaife MINI CHALLENGE at the eleventh hour and starred, delivering two superb podiums with third place in round two, plus the fastest lap, and third in round three. He is third in the championship.
With the support of Motorbase, Mitchell will now contest the one-make category’s full campaign as part of the JWB Motorsport squad as team-mate to fellow Motorbase Driver Academy racers Jamie Osborne – younger brother of BTCC racer Sam, son of Motorbase owner Pete – and Ru Clark.
Since claiming his Ginetta Junior crown in 2014, Mitchell has raced in a variety of championships and disciplines including the Renault UK Clio Cup, Ginetta GT4 Supercup, British GT Championship and the BTCC itself.
Winning the British GT4 title in 2018, driving a BMW M4 GT4, he graduated to GT3 the following year and claimed two podiums in a BMW M6 GT3 before becoming a race winner in British GT3 in 2020 driving a McLaren 720S GT3. Mitchell raced a Cupra Leon in the BTCC last season and looked likely to be on the sidelines this year, before joining the Motorbase Driver Academy.
Speaking about being back with Motorbase, Mitchell said: “I’m over the moon to be part of the Motorbase Driver Academy, any young driver needs that support and it’s great to be back with the team after my first involvement with Motorbase back in 2014.
“I’ve grown up in the village of Wrotham so it’s fantastic to be associated with my local team again and I can’t thank Pete Osborne enough. Motorbase is going from strength to strength, with some great drivers in the BTCC this season, and I’m looking forward to working with them.
“I only had my first run in the MINI during the Friday test at Donington, so we were a little bit on the back foot, but the JWB guys gave me the car to do the job and give me confidence. Taking two podiums away was a good start, we’re aiming to be fighting for the championship and then hopefully progress back to touring cars.”
Images courtesy of Jakob Ebrey