After an exciting begin to the season, the third spherical 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) takes place at one other iconic venue on Saturday 11 Might. With 37 vehicles competing, cut up between 19 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3 vehicles, right here is all the things it is advisable know earlier than the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa, the ultimate race earlier than the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Following on from a dramatic race on the 6 Hours of Imola, the European leg of the FIA WEC heads to the mighty Spa-Francorchamps for the third spherical of the season. Situated within the Ardennes forest in Belgium, this 7km circuit scarcely wants an introduction. That includes iconic corners identified all through the motorsport world, akin to La Supply, Eau Rouge and Raidillon, and blisteringly quick sections which can see the Hypercars hit speeds of 315kph (195mph), Spa can also be identified for being its personal microclimate, with the unpredictable climate usually inflicting chaos, significantly in races that are 6 hours lengthy.
The prospect of rain will trigger alarm for Ferrari AF Corse. After topping each practise session and securing the highest three positions in qualifying, the Scuderia got here undone as soon as the rain started to fall in Imola. Antonello Coletta, International Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti, defined the staff’s motivation for Spa. “Following the finale of the 6 Hours of Imola, the place we fell in need of the general podium, our entire staff is pushed by a need for redemption,” Coletta stated, “so we come to Spa with a agency ambition of finishing a flawless weekend, freed from errors.”
In 2023, the #51 Ferrari achieved a 3rd place end earlier than changing that to victory at Le Mans. Ferrari must bounce again this weekend to show their potential in a really aggressive collection.
Reigning WEC champions, Toyota Gazoo Racing, had a really completely different expertise of Imola. Regardless of, by their very own admission, not having the quickest automotive, the staff performed a strategic blinder and secured victory for his or her #7 automotive. The Japanese staff, who’ve been unbeaten at Spa since 2017, loved shut battles with Porsche Penske Motorsport, who achieved their second double podium end of the season at Imola. The German staff are nonetheless on the prime of the standings, each for drivers and groups, however Toyota are actually hungry to take care of their momentum and take again management of the championship.
BMW M Crew WRT are additionally coming off the again of a profitable outing in Imola, and could have a variety of house assist at Spa. Whereas BMW is famously German, their companions at Crew WRT are primarily based in Belgium and there are a selection of Belgian drivers of their squad. The #20 Hypercar completed a powerful sixth in solely their second WEC outing in Imola, whereas the 2 BMW M4 LMGT3 vehicles secured an outstanding 1-2 end within the LMGT3 class. Dwelling hero Maxime Martin shall be cheered on within the #46 automotive as they try to go one higher than their second place end this time spherical.
In its debut race, the Peugeot 9X8 2024 secured the primary factors of the season for Peugeot TotalEnergies. The French outfit are operating each vehicles with solely two drivers apiece for the 6 Hours of Spa, with Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne lacking the Belgian spherical resulting from prior race commitments. Equally, Will Stevens is absent from the #12 Hertz Crew JOTA Porsche 963, and Cadillac Racing preserve their identical two-man line-up from Imola of Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn.
Lamborghini Iron Lynx even have a change in line-up. Edoardo Mortara is competing within the FIA System E World Championship in Berlin, and is being changed by Andrea Caldarelli, a Lamborghini manufacturing facility driver and common racer within the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The Italian staff proceed to give attention to steady studying after one other robust efficiency by way of reliability in Imola. The Lamborghini SC63 completed twelfth general, however their quickest lap was solely 0.5 seconds off the tempo of that set by the race profitable Toyota. As this Golden Age of sportscar racing continues, the event of groups like it will proceed to intrigue.
Doriane Pin is absent from the LMGT3 class Iron Dames staff. She is changed by Rachel Frey who returns to the staff for the weekend. Their disappointing begin to the season sees them in eleventh within the LMGT3 standings to this point. In distinction, Manthey PureRxing prime the LMGT3 standings following a third in Imola and a terrific victory on the season opener, the Qatar 1812km. They are going to be exhausting pushed to problem Crew WRT at their house occasion. The Belgian staff, who at the moment lie 2nd and 4th within the standings, will give it all the things to get to the highest.
The inexperienced flag will wave for the beginning of the 2024 TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa at 13:00 (CET) on Saturday 11 Might. The Checkered Flag will deliver you all of the race reviews it is advisable keep updated.
