Image credit: 24HoursofSpa on Twitter
This weekend, the Ardennes roar to life with the sound of 70 GT3 race cars battling it out for victory at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps: The 75th edition of the endurance classic features the largest grid since before the COVID - can the AKKodis ASP Team defend their 2022 victory? Find out on July 1st when the green flag waves at 16.30 CEST/14.30 UTC/10.30am ET!
Running as a GT3-only race since 2013, the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps have seen numerous types of vehicles entered in the past: Interwar sports cars were succesful from the race's initial event in 1924 until the 1938, and after World War II, GT cars continued to be in the spotlight until touring cars started to take over in the 1960s, with the event even becoming part of the European Touring Car Championship in 1966 and then again in 1981 after the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps had been remodeled and modernized from its fearsome classic layout.
The touring car era lasted until the new millenium until the event became part of the FIA GT Championship in 2001 - and since 2010, GT3 machines are the cars to have. Since 2011, the race has been part of the GT World Challenge Europe (then Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup) and Intercontinental GT Challenge.
In Daniel Juncadella, the #999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo has one of 2022's Spa 24 Hour winners behind the wheel. Image credit: 24HoursofSpa on Twitter
Rain was not a factor in 2022, however, as Mercedes-AMG took a 1-2 victory with the #88 AKKodis ASP car in the hands of Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello being joined on the podium by the GetSpeed vehicle of Maximilan Götz, Steijn Schothorst and Luca Stolz, followed by the pole-sitting Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Antonio Fuoco, Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra. The winning trio has been split up for 2023, however, with Gounon and Marciello being joined by Timur Boguslavskiy, as Juncadella moved to the #999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG to join Götz and Mikaël Grenier.
The Fanatec Arena inside the paddock will be the host of round 3 of the SRO Esports SIM Pro Series during the actual 24-hour race. Image credit: GTWorldChEU on Twitter
The action is not just going to unfold on track, though: As Fanatec is involved as the GT World Challenge title sponsor, the SRO Esports SIM Pro Series sets up shop at Spa as well with a one-hour on-site race in Assetto Corsa Competizione. The virtual green flag flies at 21.00 CEST/19.00 UTC/3pm ET on Saturday, so the sim race is going to take place in parallel to the real event.
Heading into the Spa round, Tobias Gronewald and Bastian Richter of Unicorns of Love lead the esports standings, followed by Dominik Blajer of Williams Esports and Tobias Pfeffer (Mercedes-AMG Esports Team HRT by UOL). The esports event has its own live broadcast starting at 20.45 CEST/18.45 UTC/2.45pm ET.
Meanwhile, following the real race is just as easy: The GT World Challenge YouTube channel offers free live streams with full broadcasts in English, German, French and Italian to make the event as accessible as possible. Additionally, onboard live streams of serveral cars are available as well.
This weekend, the Ardennes roar to life with the sound of 70 GT3 race cars battling it out for victory at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps: The 75th edition of the endurance classic features the largest grid since before the COVID - can the AKKodis ASP Team defend their 2022 victory? Find out on July 1st when the green flag waves at 16.30 CEST/14.30 UTC/10.30am ET!
Running as a GT3-only race since 2013, the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps have seen numerous types of vehicles entered in the past: Interwar sports cars were succesful from the race's initial event in 1924 until the 1938, and after World War II, GT cars continued to be in the spotlight until touring cars started to take over in the 1960s, with the event even becoming part of the European Touring Car Championship in 1966 and then again in 1981 after the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps had been remodeled and modernized from its fearsome classic layout.
The touring car era lasted until the new millenium until the event became part of the FIA GT Championship in 2001 - and since 2010, GT3 machines are the cars to have. Since 2011, the race has been part of the GT World Challenge Europe (then Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup) and Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Challenging Conditions
Much like the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the race twice around the clock in Belgium presents a big challenge not just because of its circuit layout, but also due to the unpredictable weather: While Spa is not as long as the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, it shares the phenomenon of sometimes experiencing different weather conditions in different parts of the track.In Daniel Juncadella, the #999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo has one of 2022's Spa 24 Hour winners behind the wheel. Image credit: 24HoursofSpa on Twitter
Rain was not a factor in 2022, however, as Mercedes-AMG took a 1-2 victory with the #88 AKKodis ASP car in the hands of Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello being joined on the podium by the GetSpeed vehicle of Maximilan Götz, Steijn Schothorst and Luca Stolz, followed by the pole-sitting Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 of Antonio Fuoco, Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra. The winning trio has been split up for 2023, however, with Gounon and Marciello being joined by Timur Boguslavskiy, as Juncadella moved to the #999 GruppeM Racing Mercedes-AMG to join Götz and Mikaël Grenier.
The Fanatec Arena inside the paddock will be the host of round 3 of the SRO Esports SIM Pro Series during the actual 24-hour race. Image credit: GTWorldChEU on Twitter
The action is not just going to unfold on track, though: As Fanatec is involved as the GT World Challenge title sponsor, the SRO Esports SIM Pro Series sets up shop at Spa as well with a one-hour on-site race in Assetto Corsa Competizione. The virtual green flag flies at 21.00 CEST/19.00 UTC/3pm ET on Saturday, so the sim race is going to take place in parallel to the real event.
Heading into the Spa round, Tobias Gronewald and Bastian Richter of Unicorns of Love lead the esports standings, followed by Dominik Blajer of Williams Esports and Tobias Pfeffer (Mercedes-AMG Esports Team HRT by UOL). The esports event has its own live broadcast starting at 20.45 CEST/18.45 UTC/2.45pm ET.
Meanwhile, following the real race is just as easy: The GT World Challenge YouTube channel offers free live streams with full broadcasts in English, German, French and Italian to make the event as accessible as possible. Additionally, onboard live streams of serveral cars are available as well.
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