24H Spa: A race like no other 🎥
COMPLETE IN LIVESTREAM The 24 Hours of Spa are taking to the Ardennes stage as late as ever. The 56 GT3 teams, including some with Swiss drivers, can expect wet and cold conditions and the longest night of the year. The teaser hints at what awaits the teams on Saturday/Sunday - a long dark night. After two practice sessions in dry and partly [...]
The teaser hints at what awaits the teams on Saturday/Sunday - a long darkness.
After two practice sessions in dry and partly sunny conditions, the teams found completely different conditions in the evening qualifying session on Thursday. Heavy rain set in shortly before the start of the session - welcome to Spa-Francorchamps.
One half of the race in complete darkness
Normally the 24 Hours of Spa take place in July, although the weather has often been crazy even in midsummer. So far the latest date was August 5/6, 2000.
The postponement to the fourth weekend in October means that, in addition to the low outside temperatures, there will also be the changeover from summer to winter time. The players are therefore facing the longest night under racing conditions. Because no spectators are allowed on site, it will be pitch dark along the track for a good twelve hours.
German brands ahead
Therefore, it will not be the classification of the GT3 sports cars alone that counts, keyword BoP (Balance of Performance), but above all their traction and the error rates of their drivers.
So qualifying gave an interesting indication of the strength to be expected. Divided into four segments, the average time of all drivers (three or four) of a car counted at the end.
In extremely slippery conditions in the second leg of the time chase, the best Audi customer team of local hero WRT with the three factory drivers Vanthoor, Mies and Van der Linde prevailed.
Patric Niederhauser among the fastest
Behind the fastest Porsche, which is also manned by three factory drivers and whose good traction in wet conditions is well known thanks to their rear-heavy nature, the second factory-supported Audi R8 LMS with Patric Niederhauser finished in third place.
Patric Niederhauser: "It's good to know that you're one of the fastest. Other brands are faster on one lap, but our pace was good on the long runs. It will be important to get through the long night and not lose touch with the leaders by Sunday morning. After that, things will really get going."
The driver from Bern is competing for the first time since 2016 and as an Audi factory driver. On the other hand, as already reported, Nico Müller will be absent. Like his title rivals Rast and Frijns, he is concentrating on the DTM finale at Hockenheim in two weeks.
Like on the Nürburgring
Although the best 20 starting positions were determined in a shootout on Friday evening from 18:20. This can be viewed under this Link live on Youtube. One driver from the qualified teams completed two timed laps. You can see the classification here.
As we saw four weeks ago at the Nürburgring, however, this will hardly be decisive for the match in the mixed conditions that are again expected.
Patric Niederhauser: "Whether you're first or twentieth on the grid didn't play a big role in the outcome of the race. It's more about prestige."
Lamborghini premiere for Emil Frey Racing
In addition to Niederhauser, Raffaele Marciello (Mercedes), Louis Delétraz (Porsche) and Edoardo Mortara (Audi) are among the favorites for the podium, and not only because of their top-10 finishes in qualifying. As the only car that will be competing for victory in the Silver Cup, the Mercedes driven by Alex Fontana and rookie Lucas Légéret also made it into the top 20.
The faster of the two Lamborghinis from Emil Frey Racing also made it into top qualifying, albeit by a narrow margin. The second Huracán with Ricardo Feller qualified for 22nd on the grid. After several participations with Jaguar and Lexus, on whose experience the Safenwiler builds, it will be the 24-hour premiere as a Lamborghini factory partner.
Daniel Allemann with a Porsche in the Pro-Am cat. Pro-Am and Lucas Ayrton Mauron on a Lamborghini in the Cat. Am. Both teams set the fastest time in qualifying.
Live on the Internet
The 24-hour race will start at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and will be flagged off at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. It will be livestreamed on Youtube under this direct Link broadcast in English over the full length.
