54 replies to this topic

[ANF]

Today's sessions:





Night practice is happening now.

Timetable, entry list, spotter guide: https://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/

[FLB]

This race marks the return of my all-time favourite driver, the man who is probably better known for scaring the bejeebus out of his wife Francesca at Jerez in 2008 than he is for finishing second in the 1992 F1 World Championship (or winning the 1982 Monaco Grand Prix), the now bespectacled (or Bronze-rated) 64 year-old Riccardo Patrese!   

 

https://www.autospor...in-spa-24-hours

[ANF]

Cut'n'paste entry list:

  1  Audi Sport Team WRT   · Audi R8 LMS
     Dries Vanthoor / Alex Riberas / Christopher Mies

  2  Audi Sport Team WRT   · Audi R8 LMS
     René Rast / Nico Müller / Robin Frijns

  4  Mercedes-AMG Team BLACK FALCON   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Yelmer Buurman / Luca Stolz / Maro Engel

  5  BLACK FALCON   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Kriton Lendoudis / Saud Al Faisal / Rui Águas / Tom Onslow-Cole

  6  BLACK FALCON   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Abdulaziz Al Faisal / Hubert Haupt / Manuel Metzger / Gabriele Piana

  7  Bentley Team M-Sport   · Bentley Continental GT3
     Jordan Pepper / Steven Kane / Jules Gounon

  8  Bentley Team M-Sport   · Bentley Continental GT3
     Vincent Abril / Andy Soucek / Maxime Soulet

  9  Target Racing   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (AM Cup)
     Alberto di Folco / Stefano Costantini / Bernard Delhez / Sylvain Debs

 12  Ombra Racing   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Kang Ling / Alex Frassinetti / Romain Monti / Andrea Rizzoli

 14  Emil Frey Lexus Racing   · Lexus RC F GT3
     Marco Seefried / Christian Klien / Albert Costa

 17  Belgian Audi Club Team WRT   · Audi R8 LMS
     Daniel Serra / Stuart Leonard / Marcel Fässler

 18  Antonelli Motorsport   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Juan Perez / Gianluca Giraudi / Loris Spinelli / Giacomo Altoè

 19  GRT Grasser Racing Team   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3
     Ezequiel Pérez Companc / Raffaelle Giammaria / Marco Mapelli

 22  GT SPORT MOTUL Team RJN   · Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Sean Walkinshaw / Jordan Witt / Ricardo Sánchez / Struan Moore

 23  GT SPORT MOTUL Team RJN   · Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3
     Matt Parry / Alex Buncombe / Lucas Ordóñez

 25  Audi Sport Team Sainteloc   · Audi R8 LMS
     Markus Winkelhock / Frédéric Vervisch / Christopher Haase

 26  Sainteloc Racing   · Audi R8 LMS     (AM Cup)
     Christian Kelders / Nyls Stievenart / Marc Rostan / Simon Gachet

 28  Daiko Lazarus Racing   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Arno Santamato / Stefano Gattuso / Nicolas Pohler / Fabrizio Crestani

 29  Montaplast by Land-Motorsport   · Audi R8 LMS
     Kelvin van der Linde / Sheldon van der Linde / Jeffrey Schmidt

 30  Castrol Honda Racing   · Acura Honda NSX GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Riccardo Patrese / Loic Depailler / Esteban Guerrieri / Bertrand Baguette

 31  Team Parker Racing   · Bentley Continental GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Rob Smith / Derek Pierce / Andy Meyrick / Seb Morris

 34  Walkenhorst Motorsport   · BMW M6 GT3
     Tom Blomqvist / Christian Krognes / Philipp Eng

 35  SMP Racing by AKKA ASP   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Michael Meadows / Denis Bulatov / Vitaly Petrov

 36  Walkenhorst Motorsport   · BMW M6 GT3     (AM Cup)
     Anders Buchardt / Henry Walkenhorst / Ralf Oeverhaus / Immanuel Vinke

 42  Strakka Racing   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Chris Buncombe / Nick Leventis / Lewis Williamson / David Fumanelli

 43  Mercedes-AMG Team Strakka Racing   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Maxi Buhk / Álvaro Parente / Maxi Götz

 44  Strakka Racing   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Rubens Barrichello / Christian Vietoris / Felipe Fraga

 49  Ram Racing   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Darren Burke / Salih Yoluc / Euan Hankey / Felix Rosenqvist

 51  AF Corse   · Ferrari 488 GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Duncan Cameron / Lorenzo Bontempelli / Aaron Scott / Matt Griffin

 53  AF Corse   · Ferrari 488 GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Niek Hommerson / Louis Machiels / Marco Cioci / Andrea Bertolini

 54  Emil Frey Jaguar Racing   · Emil Frey G3 Jaguar     (Silver Cup)
     Alex Fontana / Adrian Zaugg / Mikael Grenier

 55  Attempto Racing   · Audi R8 LMS
     Kim Luis Schramm / Clemens Schmid / Pierre Kaffer

 58  Garage 59   · McLaren 650 S GT3
     Côme Ledogar / Olivier Pla / Ben Barnicoat

 62  R-Motorsport   · Aston Martin V12 Vantage
     Dominik Baumann / Marvin Kirchhöfer / Maxime Martin

 63  GRT Grasser Racing Team   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3
     Andrea Caldarelli / Christian Engelhart / Mirko Bortolotti

 66  Attempto Racing   · Audi R8 LMS
     Pieter Schothorst / Steijn Schothorst / Jamie Green

 67  GDL Racing   · Lamborghini Super Trofeo     (Group National)
     Andrew Haryanto / Andres Josephsohn / Beniamino Caccia / Sarah Bovy

 70  Speed Lover   · Porsche 991 Cup     (Group National)
     Pierre-Yves Pâque / Gregory Paisse / Bob Wilwert / Gilles Petit

 72  SMP Racing   · Ferrari 488 GT3
     Mikhail Aleshin / Miguel Molina / Davide Rigon

 75  T2 Motorsport   · Ferrari 488 GT3     (AM Cup)
     Gregory Teo / David Tjiptobiantoro / Christian Colombo / Matteo Cressoni

 76  R-Motorsport   · Aston Martin V12 Vantage
     Matthieu Vaxivière / Jake Dennis / Nicki Thiim

 77  Barwell Motorsport   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (AM Cup)
     Adrian Amstutz / Leo Machitski / Richard Abra / Patrick Kujala

 78  Barwell Motorsport   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Michele Beretta / Rik Breukers / Sandy Mitchell / Martin Kodrić

 82  GRT Grasser Racing Team   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3
     Rolf Ineichen / Phil Keen / Franck Perera

 84  Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Renger van der Zande / Edoardo Mortara / Gary Paffett

 88  Mercedes-AMG Team Akka ASP   · Mercedes-AMG GT3
     Raffaele Marciello / Daniel Juncadella / Tristan Vautier

 89  Akka ASP Team   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (AM Cup)
     Nico Jamin / Philippe Giauque / Eric Debard / Fabien Barthez

 90  Akka ASP Team   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Silver Cup)
     Jack Manchester / Jules Szymkowiak / Fabian Schiller / Nico Bastian

 97  Oman Racing with TF Sport   · Aston Martin V12 Vantage     (Silver Cup)
     Ahmad Al Harthy / Euan Mckay / Charlie Eastwood / Ross Gunn

 98  ROWE Racing   · BMW M6 GT3
     Ricky Collard / Marco Wittmann / Jesse Krohn

 99  ROWE Racing   · BMW M6 GT3
     Alexander Sims / Jens Klingmann / Nicky Catsburg

100  Brussels Racing   · Aston Martin V12 Vantage     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Nicolas Van Dierendonck / Koen Wauters / Tim Verbergt / Sam Dejonghe

111  Aust Motorsport   · Audi R8 LMS     (Silver Cup)
     Nikolaj Rogivue / Loris Hezemans / Philipp Frommenwiler / Tobias Dauenhauer

114  Emil Frey Lexus Racing   · Lexus RC F GT3
     Norbert Siedler / Stéphane Ortelli / Markus Palttala

117  KÜS Team75 Bernhard   · Porsche 911 GT3 R
     Earl Bamber / Timo Bernhard / Laurens Vanthoor

175  Sun Energy 1 Team HTP Motorsport   · Mercedes-AMG GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Kenny Habul / Bernd Schneider / Thomas Jäger / Martin Konrad

188  Garage 59   · McLaren 650 S GT3     (AM Cup)
     Alexander West / Chris Harris / Chris Goodwin / Andrew Watson

333  Rinaldi Racing   · Ferrari 488 GT3     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Daniel Keilwitz / Alexander Mattschull / Rinat Salikhov / David Perel

488  Rinaldi Racing   · Ferrari 488 GT3     (AM Cup)
     Murod Sultanov / Rick Yoon / Nicholas Boulle / Pierre Ehret

540  Black Swan Racing   · Porsche 911 GT3 R     (Pro-Am Cup)
     Tim Pappas / Jeroen Bleekemolen / Marc Lieb / Marc Miller

666  Attempto Racing   · Lamborghini Huracán GT3     (AM Cup)
     Sven Heyrowsky / Jürgen Krebs / Tim Müller / John Louis Jasper

911  Manthey-Racing   · Porsche 911 GT3 R
     Frédéric Makowiecki / Romain Dumas / Dirk Werner

991  Herberth Motorsport   · Porsche 911 GT3 R     (AM Cup)
     Jürgen Häring / Edward Lewis Brauner / Wolfgang Triller / Alfred Renauer

[taz]

And today/tomorrow (friday) is gonna be one of the hottest days in Belgium EVER. We're officially in one of the longest heatwaves ever, thursday it was easily 35C/95F and friday possibly 37C/100F

Saturday is gonna be a cooler day with temps up to 27C/81F and possible showers/thunderstorms, the days after dry again and temps are gonna rise again

[sportyskells]

and that is normal Spa weather in my book, I wonder how many times the SC will be deployed this year?

[Muppetmad]

I always greatly enjoy following this each year! Here's to a good, safe race 

[Peat]

I'd like to get excited about it, but it never really grabs me. Mandated stint lengths etc, its just a series of sprints. Still, i think it'd be a nice event to attend. 

It usually makes for a good YT crash-reel though. 

Edited by Peat, 27 July 2018 - 08:28.

[Jeeves]

What's this? F1 fan talking about safety cars? Indycar fan talking about crash reels?

Pot-kettle-aircraft carrier.

[Peat]

?

 

Indycar has the occasional DRACONE.

 

Blancpain has the occasional Vadim Kogay.

S'all goood. 

[Gemini]

One my top 5 favourite races of every year. 24 hours, great track and no LMPs to take camera attention from huge selections of best lookings cars in the world. John Watson commentary just completes it.

[Roadhouse]

Totally missed this. I'm going to the Ardennes tomorrow, lets see if I can convince my gf to go to Spa on sunday. (She knows it's a racetrack, so can't simply ask her to go to (a) spa )

 

edit: Sweet, we'll go if I give her ice cream. 

Edited by Roadhouse, 27 July 2018 - 15:50.

[ANF]

Super Pole starting now (or soon)

I can't find a Nismo TV stream at the moment. The stream above is geoblocked in the US + Canada.

Edited by ANF, 27 July 2018 - 16:42.

[BRG]

And today/tomorrow (friday) is gonna be one of the hottest days in Belgium EVER. We're officially in one of the longest heatwaves ever, thursday it was easily 35C/95F and friday possibly 37C/100F

Saturday is gonna be a cooler day with temps up to 27C/81F and possible showers/thunderstorms, the days after dry again and temps are gonna rise again

Ah, Spa 24 Hours.  No wonder the six week long heatwave and drought inb the UK has just ended in rain and thunderstorms.  Coming to the Ardennes in 3-2-1....

[TF110]

So far it looks like a bop gamble with the typical Audi-up-front results. Meanwhile a brand new Bentley and Lexus are given excess weight while the front-running Audi stays still. Other cars get somewhat close to a victory or take a deserved win they get sacked. Then you see a 10 year old Aston Martin qualify 3rd. If anything screams an imbalance in bop it's things like this. 

[FLB]

So far it looks like a bop gamble with the typical Audi-up-front results. Meanwhile a brand new Bentley and Lexus are given excess weight while the front-running Audi stays still. Other cars get somewhat close to a victory or take a deserved win they get sacked. Then you see a 10 year old Aston Martin qualify 3rd. If anything screams an imbalance in bop it's things like this. 

Well, at least SRO is open about it 

[ANF]

A big accident just happened in the second Super Trofeo race on driver's right on the straight between Pouhon and Fagnes. Let's hope there are no injured marshals.

Edited by ANF, 28 July 2018 - 09:21.

[Muppetmad]

Fingers crossed everyone is okay; that was a nasty one.

[ANF]

The Youtube race video has now been removed (temporarily perhaps).

[Peat]

Good lord. Hope those marshals are ok.

[ANF]

Spa 24 hours drama:

"Car #1 of WRT Audi looses pole-position as the air tract wasn't in conformity with the rules. Laps of superpole cancelled, plus a 3 minute stop-and-go penalty"
https://twitter.com/...153860095954944


https://twitter.com/...150913811296256

Edited by ANF, 28 July 2018 - 10:37.

[ANF]

"One marshall and the driver have been transferred to hospital for medical checks. However, their injuries are not life-threatening."

Full statement from SRO Motorsports Group:

This morning, during the Lamborghini Super Trofeo support race ahead of the Total 24 Hours of Spa, a vehicle left the track at marshal post 12. Four marshals and one driver were injured in the incident.

All were immediately attended by the circuit medical staff. One marshall and the driver have been transferred to hospital for medical checks. However, their injuries are not life-threatening.

Following a delay of 1 hour and 30 minutes, track activities have now resumed.

SRO Motorsports Group, RACB and the Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps would like to thank all of those involved in the medical assistance that followed the incident. Furthermore, we would like to wish a speedy recovery to all of the marshals and the driver involved.

https://www.total24h...a-francorchamps

[statman]

^^ found some pics online, heavy impact at the marshall area:

 

[Gemini]

https://www.blancpai..._SPOTTER18_.pdf

[Amin]

That crash must have happened just before I arrived at the track. I saw an ambulance arriving at the Stavelot entrance. I was wondering why the Eurocup and the Porsche races were delayed.

[ANF]

[AlexPrime]

Quite crowded.

[Stephane]

Grandstands are crowded, but from Kemmel straight to Blanchimont, not so much.

[William Hunt]

This is truly the best 24 hour race in the world... and not Le Mans where we knew before the race that Toyota would win it (with help from the organizers with the rules) with a massave advantage.... this is at least a real race and the level is very high

[Gemini]

 

 

 

 

Edited by Gemini, 28 July 2018 - 18:31.

[Nonesuch]

This is so much fun. Spa-Francorchamps looks wonderful as always.

 

Great on track battles.

[LucaP]

About the Lambo crash...
Are we really sure a marshall post should face head-on the direction cars are coming from?

Ah, but the main issue is putting tarmac runoffso everywhere..

[kapow]

Wow, the racing is insane! I can't believe how close it is.

[ANF]

Only 18 hours to go now.

[Amin]

Just walked around the track, still really busy. Great racing and a great atmosphere.

[William Hunt]

the race is under red flag conditions for quite a while now without the commentators or the organization giving any news, this however does not look comforting at all...
https://twitter.com/...384336245170177

[William Hunt]

Jurgen Krebs (#666) and Andy Meyrick (#31), were taken out of their cars and brought to the medical centre.

[William Hunt]

Stéphane Ortelli was also taken to the hospital in Liège after a three car mega crash at the Raidillon; Markus Paltalla posted on twitter that Ortelli is okay.
No news about Krebs and Meyrick, since the race was red flagged for over an hour (possibly up to two hours of no racing) it could be serious

Edited by William Hunt, 29 July 2018 - 02:59.

[William Hunt]

Ortelli's car was horifically damaged
https://sportscar365...kenhorst-leads/

[klyster]

No time to stop for croissant and espresso 

[ANF]

Stéphane Ortelli was also taken to the hospital in Liège after a three car mega crash at the Raidillon; Markus Paltalla posted on twitter that Ortelli is okay.
No news about Krebs and Meyrick, since the race was red flagged for over an hour (possibly up to two hours of no racing) it could be serious

Oh my goodness.

Krebs and Meyrick suffered fractures:
"Both drivers suffered fractures and, due to the high-speed nature of the accident, are currently being kept under observation in intensive care. However, neither has suffered life-threatening injuries."
Full SRO statement: https://www.total24h...nd-jurgen-krebs

I think Ortelli's accident was a separate incident though? It happened before I went to sleep, and unless I'm mistaken they went back to green after that.

[William Hunt]

I'm surprised how little activity there is in this thread considering how important this race is, also it looked like their life was in danger last night (especially if you saw the pics of their cars), yet no activity here
It's good to hear that they are not in a life threatening condition, it took the organization far too long before they gave any news

[William Hunt]

Here you can see the massive damage of the nr. 666 Lamborghini, it's a miracle the driver survived this:

https://www.speedcaf...4-hours-of-spa/

[huggybear]

Here you can see the massive damage of the nr. 666 Lamborghini, it's a miracle the driver survived this:

https://www.speedcaf...4-hours-of-spa/

 

This is the less damaged car. The other one, which I think was a Bentley, hit so hard the left front A pillar had either been completely ripped off, or bent straight so it looked like the B pillar. Very bad accident

[ANF]

Here you can see the massive damage of the nr. 666 Lamborghini, it's a miracle the driver survived this:
https://www.speedcaf...4-hours-of-spa/

Sounds like the Lamborghini had spun before it was hit by the Bentley.
"Lamborghini driver Jurgen Krebs lost control at Eau Rouge before being collected by the Team Parker Bentley driven by Andy Meyrick at Raidillon."

[William Hunt]

Yes the Lamborghini has spun on top of the Raidillon and Andy Meyrick drove at full speed with his Bentley frontal in the frontside of the Lamborghini, a horror crash.
On Belgian television they just said during live commentary that it was especially the side of the passenger of both cars that is gone, if it had been the driver's side it would have been fatal.
I assume that the Bentley has the driver side / steering wheel on the right side instead of the left (since it's a British car), if it was oposite....
I think it's time that there is a serious debate about allowing amateur / hobby drivers at the 24 hours of Le Mans and Spa. It's just far too dangerous to have driver who are 8 seconds or more per lap slower in a race, especially at Le Mans with the quick prototypes. Krebs was more off than on track, it's just far too dangerous to have these rich 50+ years amateurs around, I've always been against that, at least at this level. Le Mans and Spa are the pinnacle of sports car racing, it should have only proffessional drivers imho.

Edited by William Hunt, 29 July 2018 - 12:23.

[JHSingo]

Yes the Lamborghini has spun on top of the Raidillon and Andy Meyrick drove at full speed with his Bentley frontal in the frontside of the Lamborghini, a horror crash.
On Belgian television they just said during live commentary that it was especially the side of the passenger of both cars that is gone, if it had been the driver's side it would have been fatal.
I think it's time that there is a serious debate about allowing amateur / hobby drivers at the 24 hours of Le Mans and Spa. It's just far too dangerous to have driver who are 8 seconds or more per lap slower in a race, especially at Le Mans with the quick prototypes. Krebs was more off than on track, it's just far too dangerous to have these rich 50+ years amateurs around, I've always been against that, at least at this level. Le Mans and Spa are the pinnacle of sports car racing, it should have only proffessional drivers imho.

 

It's not the first big accident at this race in last few years either. I still remember that enormous two car Ferrari accident from a few years ago, which resulted in one driver being hospitalised for a while. I kinda lost my interest in this race after that year.

 

Unfortunately, it seems a lot of these 'amateur' drivers have more far more cash than sense. One day an amateur driver is going to kill themselves or another driver in a race like this, I swear...

[paulb]

Is Spa the only endurance race to have the mandatory 5min technical pit?

[HistoryFan]

I'm surprised how little activity there is in this thread considering how important this race is,

I am here in Spa, but for me it's boring.

[William Hunt]

I have visited the 24 hours of Spa many times (not this year though), it never is or was boring and at this moment the top 5 with 2 hours to go is separated by just 40 seconds with, the top 2 were just sepparated by 3 seconds with 2,5 hours to go, how can you call that boring?
The 24 hours of Spa weekend also had F. Renault 2.0 Eurocup (2 races) and the European FIA Formula 3 championship (3 races) in their program

What's boring is Formula 1: only 2 drivers usually win and in the last 10 years just 3 different teams won

Edited by William Hunt, 29 July 2018 - 12:43.

[Nonesuch]

It's a great race. Unfortunately I wasn't able to stay up during the night, as I had some other fun things to attend to this morning.

 

Combined with some viewing yesterday evening, the last hour and a half will have to do for this year.

 

Good thing is, it's still close!