The B12hr connections to the Centenary Spa classic
27 Jun
THE STARS of global GT Racing assemble this weekend as the 100th anniversary celebrations of the iconic CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps commences at the famed Belgian circuit.
And there’s plenty for fans of Australia’s International Enduro to enjoy throughout the around-the-clock epic this weekend.
A host of Aussie and New Zealand representation will feature throughout with several likely to be key contenders in both the outright fight and the various classes.
67 cars have entered for the race this year, once again making it the largest GT race on the planet.
2024 marks the centenary of the iconic race, first held in 1924.
The race evolved throughout the decades, at one point becoming one of the largest Touring Car races in the world at the peak of the Group A formula in the 1980s – attracting plenty of Aussie attention including entries from the famous Holden Dealer Team and Allan Grice.
The race shifted to accommodate GT machinery in the early 2000s and has thrived since then, now serving as the largest race of its type and a key stop in the Intercontinental GT Challenge and Fanatec GT World Challenge European tours.
Aussie hero David Brabham is the only Aussie to have ever won the race – claiming victory in 1991 driving a Nissan Skyline GT-R, while Kiwi Earl Bamber claimed victory in the 2020 race driving a Rowe Racing Porsche.
BMW have claimed 25 victories at Spa, the most of any brand by a substantial margin, with Porsche (8) second on the list.
Here’s some key driver and teams worth following this weekend.
Reigning 12-Hour champions all represented
MATT CAMPBELL, Laurens Vanthoor and Ayhancan Guven are all on the Spa grid this weekend, though they won’t be behind the wheel of the iconic ‘Grello’ Manthey-EMA Porsche that they used to claim Australia’s International Enduro back in February this year.
Porsche’s 12-Hour hero Matt Campbell will search for his maiden Spa victory this weekend, parking his full-time World Endurance Championship campaign for a moment to jump back aboard a Porsche 911 GT3R.
He’ll drive the SSR Herberth entry alongside Mathieu Jaminet and Fred Makowiecki and should contend for victory in the Pro class.
Laurens Vanthoor, racing on home turf, will hope to add to his 2014 and 2020 Spa victories as he shares a HubAuto Porsche with 12-hour regulars, Kevin Estre and Patrick Pilet.
HubAuto were due to make their 12-Hour return this year, though shipping dramas close to the race hindered those plans within a week of the event commencing.
Meanwhile, Turkish ace Guven will pair up with Dorian Boccolacci and Laurin Heinrich aboard a Porsche fielded by Schumacher CLRT.
Bathurst favourites reunited
THREE-TIME 12-Hour winner Jules Gounon heads to Spa as a favorite once again, coupled with the fact he’s got his old mate Luca Stolz – a two-time Bathurst champion – back alongside him this weekend. The pair will share a Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Fabian Schiller in a powerful combination.
Bathurst polesitter, team continue combinations
SHELDON van der Linde, who spectacularly put his BMW Team WRT M4 GT3 on pole at the Mountain this year is back, alongside regular copilots Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts.
WRT field several cars with both of their 12-Hour combinations replicated at Spa: Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin and Raffaele Marciello back aboard the famous #46 entry.
Bathurst boy gets Spa chance
BATHURSTIAN Brad Schumacher will make his 24 Hours of Spa debut this weekend, steering a Haas RT Audi R8 LMS with Oliver Bertels and Armand Fumel and entered in the Pro-Am class.
Though Brad has faced some last-minute health hurdles, the race is an extraordinary opportunity for Schumacher, who has consistently showcased himself as one of the top Pro-Am stars in both the 12-Hour and the GTWC Australia landscape. All of Bathurst will be cheering on their home-town hero on the sport's biggest stage!
Triple Eight on the big time
EXPANDING internationally, beyond their Asian Le Mans Series campaign, Triple Eight JMR will enter their first 24 Hours of Spa with a Mercedes-AMG GT3 fielded by Alex Sims, Prince Jefri Ibrahim, 2022 12-Hour winner Martin Konrad and West Aussie star, Jordan Love. As expected, the car sports #888.
Phantom Global continue their strong debut season
NARROWLY missing a podium at Mount Panorama in February, Phantom Global Racing made an impressive impact on GT3 racing on their debut this year and it’s form they hope to continue at Spa this weekend.
They’ll have the experienced Jaxon Evans – fresh from Supercars action in Darwin – alongside Joel Eriksson and Thomas Preining in a powerful Porsche combination this weekend.
Of note..
OTHER 12-Hour fan favourites worth keeping an eye on include two-time polesitter and still the 12-Hour’s fastest ever man, Maro Engel. He’ll share a Mercedes-AMG with Lucas Auer and Daniel Morad.
The first South African to win at Bathurst, Jordan Pepper, will steer a Lamborghini entered by Grasser Racing, while Earl Bamber and GT World Challenge Australia breakout star, Brendan Leitch, will join with Adrian D’Silva and Kerong Li in a Pro-Am class Porsche fielded by Earl Bamber Motorsport.
Two-time 12-Hour winner Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch team with Dennis Olsen aboard a Proton Competition Ford Mustang, which will be of keen interest to local Ford fans as the new ‘Pony car’ from the Blue Oval becomes eligible for Australia’s race in 2025.
2024 Pro-Am winner Alessio Picariello will drive a Lionspeed Porsche in the Bronze class, Riccardo Feller and Chris Haase – who after eight attempts finally cracked it for his first Bathurst podium this year - are alongside Alex Aka in an Audi fielded by Tresor Attempto Racing, while Gruppe M Racing – perennial 12 Hour contenders – will be in the mix again thanks to their strong AMG GT3 entry piloted by Daniel Juncadella, Fred Vesti and Ralf Aron.
Aussie Calan Williams will pilot OQ by Oman Racing BMW in the Bronze class.
How to watch
You can watch all the action from Spa via the SRO GT World Channel on YouTube.
