Pit stop time for Akkodis ASP and more. The order is going to shuffle around yet again as Mikael Grenier has only 8/10ths of a second on Nick Yelloly. Fred Vervisch seems to be losing time. The CMR Racing Bentley thought they had trouble with the throttle and/or the transmission. Nigel Bailly currently driving. Iron Lynx now in the lane and the #50 BMW Junior Team entry is also in. Neil Verhagen, Dan Harper, and Max Hesse the trio. Mikael Grenier is being reeled in by Nick Yelloly. Can Grenier hang on? Mercedes Benz vs. Bavarian Motorwerks. Has the BMW got the legs on the Benz? It took a while for the BMW to pass the Porsche. Mercedes, 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8. Porsche, 4 liter naturally aspirated flat six, and BMW, 3 liter naturally aspirated inline six.
Yelloly tries to make a move through Les Combes. Cannot make it. Mikael Grenier holds the lead of the motor race for now. Car #3 having pedal box trouble in the GetSpeed Performance Mercedes, Valdemar Eriksen starting another stint. The top three are inching away a wee bit. Christensen losing time to Yelloly but now, Grenier has to pass a back marker through Stavelot, but no dice there. The sttering wheel on the BMW is the same Fanatec wheel used for sim racing rigs. Isn't that just amazing?! The BMW has the straight-line performance up the hill. Christensen now doing the chasing as we see more junk and rubbish on the windscreen as the sun sets and the light dropping. A dirty, smudgy windscreen is not what you want this evening at sunset.
Michael Christensen is beginning to catch up once again. The light begins to fade as it is around 9PM local time in Belgium. Into Fangnes once more. Drive through penalty for track limits for the #44. Nine track limits offenses for the #44 GetSpeed Mercedes AMG GT3 for Patrick Assenheimer, Michael Blanchemain, Axel Blom, and Jim Pla. Hello again, to David Addison. We'll hear from Bruce Jones again all of this evening. We've got a top-notch commentary team here at SRO GTWorld. Hello again, Mr. Addison. Oh criminy. The #75 Mercedes of Kenny Habul has a quick spin and is now back on the road. So, Jules Gounon now at the wheel of the #88 Mercedes for Akkodis ASP and we could see him really fly as the darkness approaches.
The teams are going to start thinking of the next couple stints to when we get to hour six and the first slice of the points pie. That pie will be sliced into thirds, not quarters or individual slices. It ought to be a mighty tasty pie if you can only slice it three times. Jules Gounon has just started his stint now following Klaus Bachler in the Porsche, the #54 Dinamic entry. Gounon now behind Marco Mapelli in the #6 Orange1 K-PAX Lamborghini. Orange1 by the way, builds electric motors. So, Dean MacDonald has stopped in the lane in the McLaren, one of the Garage 59 McLaren's, I believe the #188. Jules Gounon drove a race here a week ago in British GT also for GT3 cars. Another SRO championship, British GT. Ninth place for the #83 Iron Dames Ferrari as someone has gone off the road at Paul Frere corner. Yikes!
Arnold Robin goes off into the gravel and almost slams the tire wall! Yikes! Nicklas Nielsen and Dennis Olsen are pushing hard and now the #51 Ferrari is right with him. Contact! Yikes! The former Intercontinental GT Challenge champ is in the fight and the McLaren says, "thanks, boys for fighting, because now I can move ahead of you." Or he was thinking, "oh my God! I'm going to wreck!" Manuel Maldonaod in the meantime is coming in a hurry. Thankfullyu they got away with that contact on the Kemmel straight up there cresting Raidillon. More pit action to come and now the #52 Ferrari is in the lane. Louis Machiels finishes his stint, and they are putting new Pirelli tires on it.
Not sure who is going into that car. They are ripping off a tear off from the windscreen and it is like magic and you can see again. Marco Mapelli in traffic closing up on Maro Engel who maybe has lost the lead of the motor race. Not sure honestly. Marco Mapelli has just unlapped himself and it is hard to say if Mapelli has gone to the overall lead as #55 now has Maro Engel at the wheel of it. Drive through penalty for the #27 Lamborghini for nine track limits infringements of Isaac Tutumlu Lopez. K-PAX leads the race. PUunctured tire for Mapelli! Oh dear! Mapelli will have to get that tire changed.
102 laps now completed, 444 miles. Jules Gounon and Nicky Catsburg are really pushing out of Jacky Ickx curve. Catsburg closing fast on Jules Gounon with Maro Engel leading. Audi #31 for WRT sweeps through Pouhon with Louis Proctor at the wheel of it, being passed by Dennis Olsen. Poor old Lewis Proctor is in 61st spot. K-PAX teamm manager Chris Barber says that debris on the road is the culprit including the gravel and they were unlucky. Their strategy is to put Jordan Pepper back into the car for the next stint and they have changed the tire for Marco Mapelli who is a lap down now. Mikael Grenier says the strategy has been working at GruppeM Mercedes.
Marco Mapelli will drop off the lead lap as Maro Engel breaks the beam for 104 laps. Mapelli is now a lap down. Jules Gounon is fending off the challenge from Nicky Catsburg. Mercedes AMG GT3 vs. BMW M4 GT3. We are getting close to 9:20 P.M. before the first slice of points is handed out. Ahmad Al Harthy in the Barwell Lamborghini is 40th overall and seventh in Gold Cup. Four cars have now retired. So, 62 of the 66 starters still running. When light fades at Spa it fades fast. By 10PM it will be fully dark with good headlights. But in twilight, these are the most difficult conditions to deal with. Manuel Maldonado in the McLaren leads and we'll see James Baldwin in that car soon, an eSports and real world racer, both.
Marco Mapelli now 34th chasing after the Porsche of Nico Menzel. He wants and needs to get back on the lead lap. Arnold Robin in Audi #33 in the pit lane and the same is true for one of the McLaren's cleaning the windscreen and fueling the car before they get to the tire changes. They are checking the ducts for radiators or for the brake ducting. The #33 car is going to have a number of penalties to answer for. #63 has track limits and speeding penalties as Pierre Alexandre Jean in Silver, who won Fanatec GT Sprint Cup in a Ferrari at Brands Hatch. He has driven Alpine's in GT4 too. Miguel Ramos leading Pro-Am for Garage 59, the Portuguese driver, being harried by Nico Menzel in class and now, Sean Walkinshaw is next up in the #90 Mad Panda Motorsports Mercedes AMG GT3.
Maro Engel leads by four seconds as Arjun Maini in the #5 car, the Mrrcedes for HRT. He leads Robert Renauer in class. Maini from India sharing with Gabriele Piana, Hubert Haupt, and Florian Scholze. Nicky Catsburg continues playing cat and mouse with the Porsche and the Mercedes. This has been a scintillating scrap to watch for the last oh, hour or so. Stab the brakes before a major braking zone to make sure the pads work and you have full pressure to stop the car. The natural light begins to fade as Maro Engel has disappeared and built out his lead. He just gets in the zone and is metronomic. He runs to a margin so he and the car are putting the least amount of effort in. Jules Gounon now a two-time winner of the Bathurst 12 Hours we saw back in May.
The Porsche teams are looking to save their tires by running to a pace. The top five are running in the 2:20 range and others are 2:21-2:22. Nicklas Nielsen, last year's Spa winner, he is chasing Fred Vervisch for eighth place as Robert Renauer has a penalty in his future for track limits. Rossi did not do much running at night if any at Paul Ricard in France last time out. Audi vs. Ferrari and Vervisch is the best placed Audi in the field. The #32 WRT entry has plummeted down to 19th in the overall with a slow puncture earlier on and they are giving away boatloads of time. Vervisch upholds Audi honors in this motor race thus far.
Ah. Ferrari makes the move, Nicklas Nielsen and now he will be scampering away. Matt Campbell is moving up having passed Pierre Alexander Jean. Campbell in the #74 EMA Porsche. Marius Zug is 21st in another Audi. Nicklas Nielsen is given room, look, by Fred Vervisch, and that was clean, four wheels square with the Audi, taking the spot away. Nicklas Nielsen is motoring away from the Audi as they scream through Paul Frere corner and into Blanchimont. So, Stavelot, then Blanchimont. I am using the modern and classic names of the corner interchangeably, I guess. Joel Sturm trying to avoid being lapped. Sturm in the #22 Allied Racing Porsche 911 GT3R. Sturm sharing with Dominik Fischli, Vincent Andronico, and Patrick Matthiesen.
Vervisch closing on Olsen through traffic but no dice. It is getting dark and we have a Full Course Yellow with a car stopped on the road. A car slow between Campus and Stavelot. Full Course Yellow now. Audi #10 in troublke again as everyone is getting set in the pit lane, doing the calisthenics and other exercises. Miguel Molina will take over the #51 Ferrari. Karrim Ojjeh in trouble once more so it has not been his race today so far. Adam Eteki at the wheel of it this time. Bad luck for the Boutsen Ginion Audi crew. They need to get it to a place of safety as Maro Engel is now in the lane from the lead. Okie dokie then. Antonio Fuoco will hand the #71 Iron Lynx Ferrari from fifth place. Steijn Schothorst passes Klaus Bachler as well. Mercedes passing Porsche. Taking a tear off off of the Ferrari's windscreen.
Fuoco is a live wire in a Ferrari GT car. Maro Engel was leading but is now in tenth spot. Klaus Bachler has moved to fifth ahead of Steijn Schothorst. Dennis Olsen behind Nicklas Nielsen who is behind again. Now then, leading the motor race is Nicky Catsburg in the #98 Rowe Racing BMW M4 GT3. Nick Yelloly says it is nice for them to be at the top of the shop currently, but they need to survive and stay in the fight for a long time yet. At six hours, we will see that slice of points explained earlier, in all classes. Jules Gounon is now just barely behind Nicky Catsburg. This race for the lead is getting hot. Darkness has fallen so at Spa it will be a videogame of lights even in the dark forest as Nico Menzel indulges in some rallycross chasing after Miguel Ramos for the Pro-Am lead.
Menzel is pushing trying to close the gap on Ramos in 27th and 28th in the overall with 118 laps completed, and with ten minutes to 10PM coming. You smell barbecues beginning to burn. Jupiler and Stella Artois beer, bratwurst, frites mayonnaise, all kinds of good food this time of night. Steijn Schothorst chasing Klaus Bachler in turn chasing Sven Mueller. So, Porsche, Porsche, Mercedes. Nicklas Nielsen will be wanting to pass Schothorst ASAP through Pouhon. 119 laps no completed. Dennis Olsen is now ninth ahead of Fred Vervisch. Many teams at the end of the race score in intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli.
Charles Weerts has passed Maxime Martin as well. Audi vs. Aston Martin as Schothorst and Bachler pit and we see Catsburg leading Michael Christensen. BMW vs. Porsche. It is now fully in the dark now here at Spa. Porsche are here in a very serious way and they have engineers up for 24 hours strategizing and they have a whole strategy nerve center in the back of their hospitality suite. This is a major challenge and an attack on winning this race again. Nicky Catsburg now leads Michael Christensen by 5.3 seconds. Julien Andlauer has now taken over the #100 Porsche at Toksport WRT. The order will reshuffle very soon.
Nielsen, Spinelli, Russell Ward, Dennis Olsen, Adam Eteki, Jaxon Evans, and more pitting. Lots of rubber has been hitting the nose of these cars. Six hours and 15 minutes now complete. Miguel Molina now at the wheel of the #51 Ferrari. Jules Gounon pitted under Full Course Yellow and has to move through traffic up the Kemmel straightaway in the darkness. Track limits drive through penalty for the #27 Lamborghini we saw in the gravel trap. Tyler Cooke driving, in 46th place in the overall. Gounon flashing the lights at one of the back marker Lamborghini's. He wants to chase after the BMW in the hands of Jens Klingman. Kevin Estre preparing for another stint in the #221 GPX Porsche, the Martini liveried car.
Fred Fatien owns GPX, and it is managed by Pierre Bryce Mena, a former driver. Five second time penalty at next pit stop for the #5 and #90 Mercedes'. Arjun Maini and Sean Walkinshaw in the Mad Panda Motorsports Mercedes which may now have a different driver as Jules Gounon is still stuck behind the Lamborghini. He is still flashing the headlights and you are technically supposed to be flashing the lights only once. Stop blocking the faster car and let him go. But he must be concentrating on driving to try and get around the track. Finally, Gounon can pass. Kevin Estre in good shape for his upcoming stint.
We will see the Gulf 12 Hours added to the Intercontinental GT Challenge at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi and then, in 2023 we are going to see the Kyalami 9 Hours come back in South Africa next spring. Marvin Kirchhofer in 16th is being passed. Catsburg and Christensen are 12 seconds apart both 58 minutes into a 65-minute stint. So, driver changes will be imminent here or so it seems. The cars sweep past another lap and pit stops are coming fast. Christensen picked up only half a second and he is ahead now by 11.4 seconds. Brussels corner is awkward and the car won't bite so you can balance the car down through Jacky Ickx curve into Pouhon in fourth gear out of a six speed gearbox.
Through Fangnes again. Christensen, pardon me, is second. The onboard camera is stretched for a signal out into the woods and trouble for Nick Wittmer and the #28 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3. They are working on a problem where the whole team can fix it. Christensen picks up a second on Nicky Catsburg, 10.4 seconds away. Christensen has to pass the VSR Lamborghini and does so as Maro Engel has pitted after just 28 minutes. Possible trouble for the #55 Mercedes AMG GT3. Kevin Estre getting ready to go for another stint. Maro Engel staying in the car and is back into the race.
What a great picture of the fading light from La Source up through Eau Rouge. Nicky Catsburg to the lane and so is Christopher Mies. Michael Christensen finishes his stint and Kevin Estre takes over. New Pirelli tires as the BMW M4 GT3 is rolling and the Porsche is still in the box. Kevin Estre will have to hustle to get back in the game. Audi #32 in the pit lane as everyone is going to go for the points at the six-hour mark. Half an hour to get the car into the lead for the points haul as Nicky Catsburg stays in the #98 Rowe Racing BMW M4 GT3. Catsburg has won this race before for BMW.
Tons of gravel at Les Combes through Malmedy and Brussels. The Porsche howling through to the chicane. Davide Rigon in Ferrari #71 has taken the race lead. More sparks fly for the cars on a heavy fuel load, half an hour away from the end of the six hours mark I believe. I don't think I have skipped an hour accidentally that I know of. Nick Tandy fastest in the speed trap followed by Soulet, Andlauer, Yelloly, and Perera. Nothing left on the table by anybody. That is why these races are so exciting.
Davide Rigon leading, as there is debris all over the road. Stay online. Otherwise, you will be in a heap of bother. Miguel Molina passes Klaus Bachler. 130 laps completed as Nicky Catsburg steadily catches Davide Rigon. Relatively speaking, we had another retirement but not many. Christopher Haase, game over. That is a darn shame. Lucas Legeret did not manage his tire too well, but will come back into the race. This is the #25 Audi Sport Team Sainteloc Audi R8. Lucas Legeret, Christopher Mies, and Patric Niederhauser, the driving trio as Davide Rigon has 4.7 seconds on Nick Yelloly but the gap is getting closer and closer before the points are awarded. Kevin Estre is 18 seconds behind Davide Rigon and the six-hour mark comes at 10:45 P.M. local time.
Robby Foley passes Rahel Frey, the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsports BMW M4 GT3. Off the road has gone a Mercedes, the #3 Getspeed car of Frenchman Sebastien Baud. Double waved yellow flags and there is raw fuel in the exhaust, but Baud now is back on track. He just stalled it. Did he get tapped into Les Combes or did he spin all by his lonesome? Self-induced. It was all by his lonesome indeed. Rigon 4.1 seconds to the good over Catsburg in the BMW M4 GT3. 20 minutes before we get the points for the six-hour mark.
Catsburg on fresher tires is taking chunks out of Rigon who's tires might be knackered. Rigon has been driving for 42 minutes and the tires are beginning to fade. A lead change imminent towards Campus corner. So, Nicky Catsburg is reeling in Davide Rigon. Rigon is two seconds down on Catsburg in traffic. The gap is 6/10ths of a second between the top two. Jules Gounon is dropping away from the top two as Catsburg is in the draft trying for a tow to get by Rigon. Rigon planting the car ahead of Catsburg. Catsburg is going to have to work for this.
Flashing the lights through Brussels corner. The pair of them are glued together into Pouhon. Where can Catsburg make the move? He is very close. Catching is one thing and overtaking something entirely different. Catsburg almost has it through Blanchimont. 134 laps done. Can he get good enough traction headed for La Source? Catsburg is trying again into Eau Rouge. Great fight and fun to watch, but vital for points at six hours as they scream through Les Combes! No dice for Nick Catsburg! The move is not on into Brussels corner. Catsburg catches Rigon but cannot make his move into Jacky Ickx corner either through to Pouhon next.
Davide Rigon is under increasing pressure. Augusto Farfus, his co-driver looking on. Don't get caught up with the back markers. Where can the BMW find a way around the Ferrari? He does not yet have an answer. Catsburg very good through Blanchimont and here he comes, with Rigon going defensive and into the final chicane, think about La Source as the last resort. The BMW is not a good performer through The Bus Stop. The BMW is quicker in clear air. Davide Rigon is still motoring. 139 laps into the race. Catsburg has a tow but he can't get there. The two could hardly be any closer.
I don't think Catsburg has the oomph to get by that Ferrari. Catsburg doing all he can. Unreal. Down they come out of Campus. Rigon might just score the points here as Catsburg is Harry Flatters through Blanchimont! Yikes! Poor old Catsburg has to lift momentarily on corner entry. Assess the right thing to do to be honest. Maybe he is going for the gusto too early through Stavelot. Uphill through Les Combes. Jules Gounon lapping at the same pace as these cars are and so is Kevin Estre in the #221 Porsche. Four of the top five are within a tenth of a second. Wow. Into Pouhon, the BMW gets stymied just a little.
But if Rigon catches the back markers that could give Catsburg a good chance to pounce. Catsburg compromised just a bit. Another spin for the #4 Mercedes with Jordan Love at the wheel of it. Six hours about to be completed as the #107 Bentley is bck in the race in 58th spot.
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