Habul Out After Pre-Qualifying Shunt
A hefty shunt at Raidillon for Kenny Habul in the #75 SunEnergy1 Mercedes AMG has left the Aussie driver out of the race after medical checks at a local hospital and the team scrambling for a replacement car, and, a replacement Bronze-rated driver.
DSC understands that Habul has committed to enabling the team to continue with a potential replacement car on-site and a request is understood to have already been submitted to the race stewards for Liam Talbot to be permitted to race alongside the remaining three original drivers, Chaz Mostert, Nicky Catsburg and Martin Konrad.
Should that request not be granted, and there is precious little track time now available for the experienced Australian to get track time, the entry would be forced into the Pro class.
If the entry does carry forward in any form the race will see a 70-car starting grid after the ‘no-show’ for the 7TSIX McLaren 720S GT3.
The Provisional results for the Superpole meanwhile still show the #79 Haupt Racing Team AMG in 19th position and through to the Friday afternoon session despite the AMG being the case of the red flag that brought the final qualifying session to a premature close after a shunt in terrible conditions for Jordan Love.
Rule Changes For 2023
In addition to the addition of a ‘pass-around’ to the Safety Car process at the Spa 24 Hours for the first time there are a number of other significant changes to the Sporting Regulations that very well make a significant impact on the race this weekend:
Principal amongst them is a tightening up of the track limits enforcement process, four corners will be camera monitored, a further two with ‘judges of fact’ monitoring live. In addition, DSC understands an in-car monitoring system will also be in play.
The penalties for track limits have been significantly enhanced too. Over any six-hour period any car registering six track limits violations will see a 30 second hold added to their next pit stop with further penalties escalating for additional offences.
A Very Welcome Aussie Invasion
Two senior members of the management team of the Bathurst 12 Hour are on-site all weekend to encourage a further recovery of their international grid which has suffered in the wake of the COVID pandemic and subsequent logistical challenges.
Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director Shane Rudzis and Repco Supercars Championship and Bathurst 12 Hour Motorsport Operations Manager Paul Martin are making the first international trip by 12-hour organisers since the Pandemic, meeting with event partners SRO Motorsports Group, the promoter of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli, and meeting with an array o manufacturers and teams to encourage all concerned to take a look at the opportunities available to contest the race in 2024 when it will be held on the new date of February 16 – 18 next year.
Shane Rudzis – Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director:
“After a few years of being unable to get to events like this, to interact one-on-one with the paddock, it’s fantastic to be here for the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa this week,” Rudzis said.
“It’s an incredible location, circuit and event and everything we’ve experienced so far has been outstanding – our thanks to our partners at SRO for their support.
“We’ve got a busy week interacting with teams and manufacturers and showcasing what the Bathurst 12 Hour has to offer. We’ve been blown away by the support for the event internationally and it’s clear a lot of people are very keen to get there in the future, be it next year or beyond that.
“There are a lot of exciting prospects in the world of GT3 racing: There’s the new Lamborghini making it’s Spa 24 Hours debut this weekend and the new Ford Mustang that has been unveiled. We’d love to see them all at Mount Panorama next February.
“We’ve already had some fantastic discussions with some very exciting propositions for next February, but also some great opportunities to introduce what we’re doing to people who haven’t been to Bathurst before.
“We’re taking in everything about the event and the notebook is already full with things we’ve experienced and will look at to enhance our own event.”
GT1 Sports Club
There is, as always, an army of extraordinary machinery in the Spa paddock, much of which will be seen on track as part of the GT1 Sports Club sessions over the weekend.
That batch includes the McMurtry Spierling EV that destroyed the hill record at Goodwood last year, the active aero pocket rocket drawing significant interest here – but the car will not run at Spa.
The Gloucestershire, UK-based outfit are set to pivot soon to the production of customer-track-only cars.
Also under the awning is a beautiful Praga Bohema, driven this weekend by none other than Ben Collins, the storied racer, stunt driver, and Stig a very safe pair of hands and feet aboard the 950 kilo Czechia-built hypercar.
Another Middle Eastern Race Set To Be Added To Winter Calendar
Gulf 12 Hours organiser Andrea Ficarelli is touring the paddock ahead of the next edition of the Yas Marina-based enduro which will again figure in the Intercontinental GT Challenge this year (8-10 December) with what is planned to be an all-GT3 grid of up to 36 cars.
Ficarelli is also working to drum up support for a proposed supporting 6-hour race on the day prior to the 12 Hours for a grid formed of GT2, GT4 and one-make ‘Cup’ machinery.
Warm Up session extended
Tonight’s Warm Up session, which is set to start at 21:15 local time, has been extended by 15 minutes as a result of last night’s Night Practice being rained off.
Picture top – SRO/ Patrick Hacq
