Cold but bright and dry weather today may be on the turn, as always at Spa we’ll know when and if it happens and likely not a moment before!
Jackie Ickx and Eddie Merckx will both be present for the race. Queue here for the obvious “only two famous Belgians” cracks!
Audi have confirmed that both the full season R18 e-tron quattros will run in low downforce ‘Le Mans’ spec, the #7 and #8 cars are thus equipped with the #9 car in a spec rather more like the trim which took Audi to victory at Silverstone.
Neither Porsche (whose third (#19) car is here, not Toyota are running with low downforce cars.
The ByKolles Racing CLM is equipped with a new front end bodywork configuration and has Christian Klien added to the driver roster once again after the Swiss refuge from the now withdrawn #39 SARD Morand car (the sister #43 car is here at Spa).
The Tequila Patron ESM team’s new pair of Ligier Hondas look stunning in their green and matt black livery. Good too to see Johannes van Overbeek on the entry after a rib injury kept him out of the #31 car at Silverstone.
The #43 SARD Morand Morgan Evo SARD is here in the all over blue livery sported by the car at the Prologue Test, Team Owner Benoit Morand in close attendance.
Jota Sport are ready too to give the Gibson brand its WEC race debut and Mitch Evans his LMP race debut too.
It’s a welcome back to the WEC for Nico Lapierre as he has his first race since COTA last year. He joins the KCMG Oreca squad as Nick Tandy moves over to the #19 LMP1 Porsche.
Jonny Adam joins the #95 LM GTE Pro ‘Dane Train’ effort, replacing Nicki Thiim who is racing this weekend in Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland as part of an effort to secure a future DTM drive. (CLARIFICATION – Jonny is here as a potential stand-in for Christoffer Nygaard who has hurt his back – The Dane though is feeling rather less sore today and it looks very likely that Jonny will be released in time to qualify for British GT at Rockingham tomorrow)
The Hanergy Energy liveried car that ran as #97 at Silverstone is actually numbered #99 here.
#97 reverts to Gulf livery and adds Rob Bell to the usual Turner/ Mucke combo.
Kevin Estre and Sven Muller for the #91 GTE Pro Porsche are both here looking very smart indeed in their (very new) Porsche race suits. The sister #92 car, as planned fields Messrs Lietz and Makowiecki.
AF Corse’s ‘extra’ GTE Am class Ferrari, the #55 car for Matt Griffin, Duncan Cameron and Alex Mortimer was clearing scrutineering late this afternoon .
