WEC 6 hrs of Spa Francorchamps 2024
In preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it has become a tradition to visit the 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps first. This year, I made my way to the Belgian Ardennes in good spirits to admire the most beautiful race track in the world. Normally this race in the FIA World Endurance Championship is always full of excitement and action, and this edition was no different.Parking at Spa Francorchamps is becoming more and more of a problem. Unfortunately I can't ignore the fact that there is plenty of parking around the circuit, but the access roads to get there are dramatic and the problem seems to be getting worse. There are already miles of traffic jams on the shoulder of the highway in front of the exits, with other traffic going 120 mph. Life threatening!!! After more than 2 hours of delay and having missed the first hour of the race, you can still buy a ticket for the now 5 hours of Spa for 60 Euros.
Read more 42 photos 11/05/2024
Photos of this race:
Information came late, many fans left
As mentioned before, the race is often full of action and once again there was plenty of it. The mega crash on the Kemmel straight caused a red flag situation. With the race running until 19:00 and no further information available at the track, we decided to leave the track half an hour before the end of the race. If there was still a race, it would only be a few laps, and with the chance of another mega traffic jam, it was not worth it.
When we got to the car, it was fortunately still quiet on the way to the highway. There we got the information that the race would be delayed for almost 2 hours. A total travel time of 8 hours for only 3 hours of racing, with full course yellow and safety car almost all the time, does not make this the adventure that makes you want to go to Le Mans even more.
First win for Hertz Team Jota Porsche after delayed finish due to rock hard crash.
A hard crash by Earl Bamber and Sean Gelael on the Kemmel straight played a crucial role in the battle for victory at the 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps. The Hertz Team Jota #12 Porsche, driven by Will Stevens and Callum Ilott, took the first British victory since the introduction of the Hypercar class.
The Ferrari AF Corse team protested the stewards’ decision to restart the race from the moment the red flag fell. The protest was declared inadmissible under the FIA’s International Sporting Code because “a decision by the stewards cannot be the subject of a protest,” according to the statement confirming the rejection.
Teams were allowed to change tires during the pit stop, but the leading #51 Ferrari was forced to make an emergency pit stop and then re-enter the race when the green flag was waved. Ilott and Estre only had to come in once more, allowing both cars to control the race to the finish. Estre was unable to attack the British driver. The Penske came in one lap ahead of the Jota and a gamble on four new tires was in vain.
Manthey Racing reaches double digits in LMGT3
In the LMGT3 class, the drivers of Manthey Racing’s #91 Porsche were able to sit on the top step of the podium. The team even recorded a 1-2 as the #92 car crossed the finish line in second place. Iron Lynx’s leading Lamborghini Hurucan had to pit for fuel on the final lap of the race, causing Franck Perreira to miss out on his first win in the Endurance Championship.
Iron Ladies throw away chance at victory.
The Iron Ladies team started from pole position with a forty second lead over the runner-up, but this was wiped out by a safety car period. The race was stopped after Phil Hanson’s second Jota Porsche 963 was hit from behind by Rene Rast’s BMW M Hybrid V8, which also involved Ahmad Al Harthy in his BMW. Once again the crash barriers of the Belgian circuit were damaged. The Iron Dames women’s team also appeared to be the favorites after the restart, but a slow pit stop threw a spanner in the works.
Fans confused by poor communication organization.
The Kemmel Straight is full of debris after this crash, but the biggest problem now is the damage to the crash barriers. They have taken a serious beating and need to be replaced. Given the nature of the crash, it promises to be a long undertaking to repair them, as is also announced around the track.
As the minutes ticked by, more and more fans headed for the exit, knowing that at least they would avoid the traffic jams. At 6:30 p.m., half an hour before the scheduled end of the race, work was still being done on the crash barriers, and more and more spectators were losing hope for a restart. Only about 15 minutes later there was an update, but it was different from what many had expected: the race was restarted for the time that was left on the clock before the red flag was waved – 1 hour and 44 minutes.
