JOTA on show
En route to Spa yesterday there was the welcome sight of a Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963 show car at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, the car attracting much attention from travellers en route to France.
Maserati memories
A test session was underway as the DSC crew arrived at Spa Francorchamps, featuring a variety of junior exotica passing by before a very familiar sight and sound appeared. A pair of Vitaphone Maserati MC12s were spotted howling around as part of a shakedown before the weekend’s centenary tribute races.
Watching on at La Source soon afterwards was a man with quite some history with the cars: 2006 and 2008 overall race winner Andrea Bertolini.
“It did bring back some memories, I loved the car and the sound!!!!” He said.
Bertolini will start his 20th Spa 24 Hours this year in the #52 Bronze Cup AF Corse Ferrari.
The thoroughly thoroughbred Italian continues meanwhile to rack up an astounding total of Ferrari F1 car shakedowns for F1 Clienti – the current total is 554!
The pair of MC12s are garaged in the lower paddock alongside the Vita4one Racing truck under the guidance of none other than Michael Bartels!
RJN’s new look
Team RJN wears the celebratory #100 on its McLaren GT3 Evo at the centenary edition of the Spa 24 Hours with an eye-catching four-driver line-up in Pro-Am.
Ex-Nissan factory drivers Alex Buncombe and Jann Mardenborough fill the slots for two gold-ranked drivers with Buncombe’s elder brother Chris and United Autosports’ WEC McLaren racer Josh Caygill the pair of Bronzes aboard the car.
Bob Neville is in place as always but in a different role, after the ownership of the team was passed to Simon Watts before the 2024 season. Instead, Neville is involved as an experienced hand on the organisational tiller!
Schumacher diagnosed with Epstein-Barr
Haas RT Audi racer Brad Schumacher has been diagnosed with Epstein-Barr Virus after feeling run down since arriving in Belgium and a challenging opening test at Spa-Francorchamps on Tuesday.
EBV is a type of germ that causes a person to feel tired, rundown and other flu-like symptoms. Schumacher has been given advice to ensure he has the best chance of getting through the event.
“Sometimes things can happen at the worst possible time and this is one of those times,” said Schumacher via his social media.
“Over the past week I have been progressively feeling more run down, until eventually upon arrival to Belgium it has become unmanageable.
“After consultation, unfortunately, the tests have come back as positive for Epstein-Barr Virus and the symptoms are currently debilitating.
“Getting through the first test session yesterday was physically and mentally a challenge, albeit posting a solid lap time to begin. The track feels comfortable but the fatigue I’m needing to manage is extreme.
“Fortunately, a friend from home is currently in Europe for the Tour De France and has learnt of my condition. They have got me in touch with a leading sports doctor based in Belgium who has helped elite athletes in cycling with this condition. I now have some good direction for recovery and management of the symptoms.
“We’ll take it day-by-day from here and fingers crossed my health will become better as the week goes on.”
Iron Dames Huracan on site
The #83 Iron Dames Lamborghini was still in the team garage on Wednesday but with the team board already removed from above the garage. This follows the formal withdrawal of the effort in the wake of Sarah Bovy’s heavy shunt at Watkins Glen on Sunday.
Parade follows new route
The traditional parade to the centre of Spa took a very different route this year.
The cars toured the current circuit to Les Combes before heading onto the old circuit at the rear entrance to the circuit at Blanchimont, continuing on the current circuit before exiting at la Source and making their way down to Spa.
This change is in part to mark the centenary and in part to avoid the roadworks, which are still not completed!
POV: Heading into Spa for the parade…#AstonMartin #Vantage #Spa24H pic.twitter.com/LTW6r6LQhg
— Aston Martin Racing (@AMR_Official) June 26, 2024
A huge number of cars took part in the parade (over 250) with the vast majority of the 2024 Hours starting grid (just the #11 Comtoyou Aston Martin was missing after a mishap in testing on Tuesday), GT4 European Series, GT2 European Series, McLaren Trophy and classic touring cars and GTs plus a smattering of road going exotica – including the British GT Championship Lotus Emira Safety car!
Thousands of fans, over 250 cars, one Spa 24H Parade 🔥
The centenary CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa paddock descended on the centre of town for the incredible annual parade.
But this was an event like no other, as the cars weaved their way through the old Spa-Francorchamps… pic.twitter.com/32sE7nxwPC
— Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS (@GTWorldChEu) June 26, 2024
With soaring temperatures and such a huge number of vehicles involved, there were a few casualties en route. The HubAuto Porsche returned on a flatbed from the old circuit. DSC later observed the #35 Walkenhorst Aston Martin on the roadside after it too hit trouble, together with a couple of GT4 cars and the GT1 Corvette, all of which came back to the pit under tow.
A combination of temperature, extended periods of stationary traffic and crawling pace was too much it seemed.
There was trouble too for Barwell Motorsport, an overly exuberant approach to crowd pleasing left one of its Lamborghinis requiring attention – the damage mercifully cosmetic.
Fast times expected!
Pre-meeting testing gave several of the teams their first opportunity to sample the circuit since its recent resurfacing.
2.18’s on old tyres. New tyre runs were producing 15’s today. Face melting grip later in the day. Spa is absolutely mental with the new surface. pic.twitter.com/sSkNsoPH7K
— David Perel (@davidperel) June 25, 2024
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with several drivers reporting dramatically improved grip levels in the new sections, which include La Source, Les Combes, Bruxelles and the Bus Stop section.
Parade Pics – SRO/JEP
