Beyond the Pro class battle at this year’s centenary edition of the Spa 24 Hours, won by Comtoyou Racing and Aston Martin, there were some hugely significant results from the other classes.
Here is a rundown:
AlManar seals Gold Cup
It was a dominant display by AlManar Racing by GetSpeed. Al Faisal Al Zubair, Dominik Baumann, Philip Ellis and Mikael Grenier came home on the lead lap in the #777 Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO, crossing the line an impressive seventh position overall for the team’s maiden class win at the 24 hours of Spa.
Sainteloc Racing fought back to second, after showing strong pace throughout but losing a lap in the eighteenth hour. Haupt Racing Team proved to be GetSpeed’s main rivals in the final quarter of the race until falling away late on.
GetSpeed doubles up in Silver Cup
GetSpeed doubled up in the Silver Cup, with victory going to its #3 entry of Anthony Bartone, James Kell, Yannick Mettler and Aaron Walker.
The one-lap margin of victory doesn’t do justice to how hard they were pushed, as the #10 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG retired whilst under a second behind with an hour to go after a late charge by Aurelien Panis.
Winward Racing was another team which will leave Spa wondering what could’ve been. It led the class up until a damaged splitter forced the team to push the car into the garage for repairs. Its #57 Mercedes-AMG recovered to third, under a minute behind the #55 Dinamic GT Porsche 911 GT3.R.
Tresor Attempto enjoys stellar run to Bronze Cup victory
Tresor Attempto Racing’s #66 was an unlikely player in the overall battle on the way to the Bronze Cup victory, having stayed on the lead lap after Bronze-rated Andrey Mukovoz completed his minimum drive time.
The team was able to rely on Max Hofer, Alexei Nesov and Dylan Pereira from there on out, nearly putting a lap on the rest of the Bronze Cup field at one stage on their way to 10th overall.
AF Corse staged an impressive comeback, having started from 66th and last on the grid following issues getting rolling for the formation lap, before a further delay and penalty after contact with the #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche in the opening hour.
The team quickly recovered to score significant points at the six and 12-hour marks on its way to second in class, meaning it leaves Spa as the provisional championship leaders.
Barwell Motorsport’s hope of victory was dashed late on, with a puncture for Mattia Michelotto in the penultimate hour. The #72 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 – on an alternate strategy to the Tresor Attempto entry which could’ve paid dividends had a Full Course Yellow fallen at the right time – was in the lead when the puncture struck, and had to settle for third.
Sky-Tempesta Racing again came up just short of a maiden class win at the race, having been a factor throughout despite contact with the #71 AF Corse Ferrari at La Source overnight. Ultimately, losing the lead lap during their technical pitstop proved too much for the #93 Ferrari 296 GT3 to overcome.
Kessel Racing showed impressive pace, only for heartbreak as both cars were eliminated within half an hour over Sunday lunchtime. 24 Hours of Spa debutant Ben Tuck was particularly impressive, leading his Qualifying session and holding the fastest Bronze Cup lap for the majority of the race.
The first half of the race was punctuated by multiple incidents, with the most significant befalling Christian Hook in the #333 Rinaldi Racing Ferrari. Contact with Nicolas Baert (#12 Comtoyou Racing) left the 296 GT3 stationary on the circuit, where Hook was collected by Adrian D’Silva (61 EBM), after multiple cars were seen to ignore waved double yellows before the initial accident site.
CrowdStrike Riley Mercedes dominates in Pro/Am
CrowdStrike Racing by Riley, with Colin Braun, Nicky Catsburg, Ian James, George Kurtz sharing its #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, dominated Pro/Am. It was an attritional affair that left them 15 laps ahead of the second-placed AMG GT3 Evo of Uno Racing with Landgraf.
CrowdStrike’s success means that Mercedes-AMG ended the race with three class victories, which should soften the blow after three of its four Pro entries retired.
CrowdStrike Racing by Riley was another team to take a maiden victory at the 24 hours of Spa, in fact, all of the class-winning teams (including overall winners Comtoyou Racing) were first-time class winners.
It only takes two cars to make a race, and up until turbo actuator problems forced its McLaren into the garage in the final hours, Team RJN proved to be worthy opposition to CrowdStrike Racing. The pair traded the class lead multiple times, with Jann Mardenborough in particular starring aboard RJN’s #100 McLaren on his return to 24-hour racing at Spa.
Images courtesy of SRO
