Saturday 22nd March saw newly-turned-18-year-old Gracie take on her first official test day of the season at the iconic Estoril Circuit in Portugal. As part of her debut campaign in the Iberian Supercar Endurance Series, the test marked her first proper outing in the Tockwith Motorsport Ginetta G55 GTX she’ll be racing all year—and it did not disappoint.

“It was the first time I’d actually seen the car I’m going to be driving this season,” Gracie said. “We weren’t sure what the livery would look like… but when I saw it, I was obsessed. It’s covered in flowers and looks amazing! Big thank you for Frsh Scents for coming on board with the team and our car this year, we will be certainly standing out on track with this design!”

(👀 A separate post on this beauty of a car is coming soon—watch this space!)

One Track, Two Drivers, Three Conditions, Four Sessions

The Estoril test gave Gracie and her new teammate Luca Staccini four 50-minute sessions to get to grips with the car—and it was a full weather workout.

“It started out absolutely chucking it down, then it dried a bit so we got that awkward greasy stage, and then the final two sessions were completely dry. Honestly, it’s rare to get all three conditions in one day—it was perfect for learning,” she explained.

With Estoril’s fast straights and technical corners, the Ginetta offered a challenge, but it’s one Gracie handled like a pro.

“The car felt really good and we didn’t have any issues. As the day went on, I felt more and more comfortable. Even if it’s the same car model, each one’s a little different—so every lap helps you understand how to get the most out of it,” she said.

Getting to Know the Car—and Each Other

This was the first time Gracie and Luca shared the car they’ll be co-driving all season. Unless they book solo testing days, they’ll be alternating stints across race weekends, qualifying separately, and executing mid-race pitstop driver swaps.

“It’s a proper team effort, and it was good to have the chance to get to know the car together. Even Luca didn’t mind the flower livery, which we weren’t totally sure about at first!” Gracie laughed.

The test day also doubled as the championship’s media day, with promotional photo and video shoots taking place between sessions. Drivers even took part in tracking shots, following a camera car with a photographer hanging out of the back (as you do).

All Go, No Sleep

It was a flying visit in every sense. Gracie and her dad flew out from the UK early on the Friday morning and packed in food, sleep, and track prep before hitting the circuit bright and early on Saturday.

“We were so tired. I had a nap on Friday and could have slept right through to the next day if my dad hadn’t woken me up. If I wasn’t driving, I was eating or sleeping!”

To top it off, their flight drama on Sunday morning meant a surprise six-hour stint at the airport after arriving way too early. Classic dad moment.

If Gracie wasn’t driving, she was sleeping, or eating! 

Two of the three Ginetta G55s that will be driven by the Tockwith Motorsport Team this year

Next Stop: Algarve! 🏁

Gracie’s attention now turns to the Iberian Racing Festival, held at the spectacular Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portimão) from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th April. This time, she’ll be making the trip with her mum for her first competitive race weekend of the season.

Want to be part of the journey? 💥

👉 Visit the Corporate Partnership Page to find out how your brand can get involved. With a car like this and a calendar full of international races, now’s the perfect time to back one of motorsport’s rising stars.

👉 Follow Gracie on Instagram @graciemitchellracing