The Hypercar renaissance continues in the world of sports car racing, and now, the World Championship, has reached those fabled forests of the Ardennes in southern Belgium for the traditional warm up race before the big one at Le Mans in France in June. This is a favorite race on the calendar for many, the 6 Hours of Spa in the Francorchamps, Malmedy, Stavelot triangle at this fabled palace of motor racing. The weather at Spa can be fickle in the springtime. It can either be warm and sunny, or, much like in the American Midwest this time of year, clammy, cold, and rainy, as the last of the April showers claim to cause the budding of the May flowers. But, who is to say. It is time now, for a motor race to commence, that will, for many teams in the Hypercar class, provide a grade, an aim, to either rise to and achieve, or to exceed, with the next legendary race, the centenary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, just over the horizon.
That is in the future. This is now. It is about time to get down to business and the pines of the Ardennes Forest will sway to the thunder of the Hypercars as well as the other exotic LMP2 and GTE machines assembled for this traditional springtime enduro. We saw two massive qualifying crashes yesterday. One for the Project 1 - AO LM GTE Am Porsche 911 RSR-19 that was heavy and substantial enough, up through Eau Rouge and Raidillon, to take the car of P.J. Hyett, Gunnar Jeanette, and Matteo Cairoli, right out of the event. There was so much damage to the automobile that being able to start the motor race today would be impossible. So, my guess is the next time we see them will be at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Maybe they will be able to fix the car, or perhaps for Le Mans they'll need an entirely new chassis. The damage to the automobile, was extensive.
The second big accident of course was for a contending Hypercar, the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley (driving the car at the time, in qualifying, on stone cold tires), and Ryo Hirakawa. Toyota have fixed the car but might have a long road to get back with that specific entry. It seems that if one of their cars does well, the other may struggle. We saw that for sure last time out at Portimao. Will this open the door for other Hypercars from Ferrari, Porsche, Peugeot, or Cadillac to have a bite of the cherry? Two Cadillac's in the race today from Chip Ganassi Racing.
Cadillac will boost their Le Mans effort with three cars, and today, Ganassi is running not just the #2 Cadillac V Series R for Earl Bamber, Richard Westbrook, and Alex Lynn, but also the #3 which is to be driven by Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais, and Jack Aitken. Jack Aitken, concurrently an endurance driver with my pals at Action Express Racing, is making a cameo since regular co-driver Scott Dixon is on IndyCar duties this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Members of the team at Action Express are here at Spa to assist and to learn how World Endurance works as we talked about in a feature story earlier in the week.
This is one of the most challenging tracks on the planet, and we have low clouds and light drizzle. This is the third race of the year and a massive crowd is here and ready to see a wickedly great race. We have 13 Hypercars entered for today's motor race as part of a 37 car grid. Hello to Martin Haven and Graham Goodwin along with Anthony Davidson and Louise Beckett. We are going to have more races here at Spa for the next five years and the next race is Le Mans, the big one, the big kahuna, that everyone wants to win. The stands are full. We watch the hydrogen H24 prototype racer doing demonstration laps. This place is mythical and was once twice the length and using public roads. But it has been reconfigured and was reopened 40 years ago in 1983.
Watch The Bus Stop (it does not look like a bus stop anymore, but the name remains). The elevation change around this place, the high speed, the high tire loads, this is going to be unreal. We have a mostly dry circuit as we get closer to the start of this motor race. Earl Bamber at Cadillac, he will start and of course they are joined by the sister #3. It is wonderful to have Cadillac here and having hree at Le Mans will be stunning. Remember, my friends at Action Express will join us, from the IMSA grid, to race Le Mans and it will be epic! But these conditions at Spa, Earl Bamber says that Eau Rouge is wet while the second half of the track is dry. The Michelin wet tires are working well even with the cold.
We have the band setting up for the national anthem. A brass band it looks like. Cool. We will see two formation las and the track has indeed been declared wet. The #21 Ferrari 488 GTE has a new chassis after wrecking and the #8 Toyota is tail end Charlie as well. We are looking at GTE Am. Andre Lotterer at Porsche visits with former boss Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, who ran the Audi program. P.J. Hyett, get well soon. Rest up, mate. Stay comfortable and we'll see you at Le Mans. He has a fractured collarbone after the wreck yesterday. So, Ben Keating not on the GTE Am pole. Ryan Hardwick at Proton Competition, he had a good qualifying effort. Sara Bovy in second for the Iron Dames Porsche.
They did a great job at Sebring and a fortnight ago at Portimao. But Ahmad Al Harthy, the Omani driver, is on pole. Michael Dinan is taking the opening stint. Ahmad Al Harthy scorched the field. Jota have the first customer Porsche 963 and the might #38 is back. They are well prepared for the undertaking. The goal is to learn and to stay out of trouble and they qualified seventh. The rain is beginning to fall again. It is beginning to bucket down. Grab your raincoats everybody. Most of the Hypercars are on slick tires and we'll roll off behind the safety car in 15 minutes. This year, there are no tire warmers. No ovens or blankets, they are against the rules.
On the downhill section of the grid, the pavement was diamond ground. A Toyota caboose on the grid, with Sebastien Buemi set to start the race after Brendon Hartley went off in qualifying at Riadillon. We are going to be looking in depth at the LMP2 battle which is extremely competitive as always including the local heroes at WRT. We have United Autosport on pole in the #23 with Tom Blomqvist, Oliver Jarvis, and Josh Pierson. Toyota lead the manufacturer's cup in Hypercar. Yesterday on the outlap, out of Raidillon, Brendon Hartley spun and whacked the wall after it snapped away from him. screech... bang.
The Vanwall is ready to go with their two tone green race car. Tom Dillman will start the car, the Frenchman. Yesterday, Ferrari nearly had two poles with the Formula 1 race in Azerbaijan and the race here at Spa. The Ferrari's had the speed but got pinged for track limits. We hear the band playing the Belgian national anthem. A full brass band, trumpets, trombones, tubas and the like. The three big grandstands here at Spa are jam packed with fans. The Peugeot is next up, the #94. Gustavo Menezes will start. There are viewing points all over Spa. Porsche #5 is next with Michael Christensen at the controls. Paul di Resta next up in Peugeot #93.
Romain Dumas in the Glickenhaus is next up. We are going to see a second Glickenhaus at Le Mans and Franck Mailleux is in the car today in place of Ryan Briscoe. Antonio Felix Da Costa is next up in the Jota Hertz Porsche 963 in their first Hypercar race. Laurens Vanthoor in the #6, the second factory Porsche 963. The 956/962 era saw the factory cars racing. Renger van der Zande, next up in the #3 Ganassi Racing Cadillac, sharing with Jack Aitken, and with Sebastien Bourdais and then comes the #2 sister car of Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, and Richard Westbrook. Antonio Giovinazzi and Nicklas Nielsen are starting the Ferrari's. They went for pole and could have gotten it but had a track limits violation. Mike Conway and Toyota #7 are on pole.
Ben Keating is going to be sensible on the start of this race. It is very cold outside and it is misting a wee bit with rain currently. The factory Porsche's on slicks, Jota Porsche on wets, and a split strategy with the Cadillac's. The engines have started and we're ready for the formation lap. Clear the grid immediately. Thank you. Green flag. The Belgian flag waves for two formation laps. The crowd are on their feet. This is so special to have a bunch of fans here. This is amazing. All cars are off the grid and on track. It is time to go racing.
#22 of HPhuk Hanson ahs spun on cold tires and nicked the wall! Aye yaye yaye! That is the result of tricky conditions. Be careful out there, ladies and gents. Car #6 off the road at Pouhon, one of the Porsche's. The factory Porsche 963's are both on slicks. The Peugeot's are also having issues with building tire temps. The Porsche is squirming around all over and now the #77 has spun and Claudio Schiavoni has spun as well in the #60 Iron Lynx Porsche 911 RSR-19. Everyone is tiptoeing. The circuit is damp but it is freezing cold! #77, the Dempsey Proton Porsche has also spun off. Ferrari and Antonio Giovinazzi are on wets.
The wrod for today is survival, without question. Stay on the road and you might just get a podium. Some of the cars are having a hard time keeping up with the safety car before we get started. Earl Bamber on slicks in the #2 Cadillac. Excuse me. #2 on wets and #3 on slicks. There are three slick tire compounds for the Hypercars as the Ferrari 488 #83 of Luis Perez Companc spins in Raidillon. The car goes light and lazily spins the car without hitting anything, thank goodness. but he was surely on the brakes. Oh dear. #77 spins again, Christian Ried at the wheel of it. He has to be on slicks. There will be an extra formation lap as the clock starts.
There will be another formation lap. The timing will start at the end of this one. That is sensible. Peugeot having a meeting, making a plan. Renger van der Zande on slicks in the #3 Cadillac. The slicks when they are up to temperature, they will perform better than the wets. Now, go for wets. Go for wets. That is what the plan is now. Most of the GTE Am field is separated from the safety car crocodile. Sara Bovy is ready. The slick tire shod teams want to go slow while the teams on wet tires are hopping up and down saying "let's go racing!" Neither factory Porsche is on slicks. Toyota #8 has the windscreen wiper on.
Not everyone brings an umbrella to the track but the nature of the weather here in the mountains, in the micro climate, you never know. Christian Ried has spun again! Jeepers creepers! He spun off the road and this in the third time he has been on the whirligig. Everyone is in formation except for those two Porsche GTE's. Get into your grid spots. Turn them loose. The race has begun. We are already in the race itself. Green flag! It's go time! Mike Conway leads and he might be on slicks. Antonio Giovinazzi wants by Conway. The Ferrari's are making their move.
The Porsche's have jumped a couple of the Cadillac's already. Mike Conway should be OK. Nicklas Nielsen being harried by Earl Bamber. The Peugeot's are passing the Toyota and the #7 goes off the road. Renger van der Zande on slicks is going for it and now #88, the Porsche 911 RSR-19 of Ryan Hardwick is off. Christian Ried and Claudio Schiavoni are still in the race. Be very, very careful. The wet weather Michelin's might start to chunk. Pray for drizzle until the pit window opens or let the track dry out. Car #6, the second Porsche and #7, the first Toyota, we are going to see a switcheroo. Now, the two Ferrari 499P's are at the top of the shop.
Ben Keating in the #33 Corvette C8.R is on wets and in the lead in GTE Am. As the track dries, the slicks are going to be the tires to have. This is so tricky. Dorianne Pin is in the #63 Prema LMP2 car. Ferrari 1-2 and we see Porsche vs. Toyota. Mike Conway vs. Laurens Vanthoor. Vanthoor gaining on Conway and Renger van der Zande is also pushing in the #3 Cadillac. Antonio Giovinazzi told to look for the wet and amange the tires. Sebastien Buemi has cleared the GTE field and is now carving his way through the LMP2 class. From Les Combes to Blanchimont, it is dry.
#3 Cadillac, is the fastest in sector three as Claudio Schiavoni spins in Fangnes, in the Piff Paff. He's beached it and we are under the safety car. The pit lane entry is closed with the safety car scramble. Christian Ried despite three spins could have pitted. He knows what to do after 20 years of racing GTE Porsche's. Mike Conway has made his move on the #94 Peugeot 9X8. The wet tire runners are going to have the advantage on the restart here. No intermediate tires. Only slicks or wets. The #8 Toyota now has a chance to make it's move through the LMP2 field. The Cadillac boys seem happy. Porsche #60 is still stranded in the gravel. Bring a snatch tractor if you can. Here come the marshals, the orange army. Matteo Cressoni says that finding the right tire choice has been difficult and they'l; see what is happening.
Claudio Schiavoni says that warming up the cold tires is extremely hard. The ambient and track temps are low. It is pretty chilly here at Spa Francorchamps. At Corvette, the modus operandi is get on with it, boys. At Ferrari Nicklas Nielsen observes it is drizzling and the thing is that drizzle will not keep the wet tires alive and now, Claudio Schiavoni is back on his way as we move the safety vehicles. Sebastien Buemi has moved up to 21st. There is a dry line forming. The wet tire runners are going off line so that the tires don't lose heat. Earl Bamber on wets as well. He says he will box for slicks if the lane opens. Is this Senna at Donington or five stops Alain Prost at Donington not knowing what the deal is.
There is less black cloud but there is no clear sky either. Wait a half hour, things might change. In half an hour the wet tires will be crying, enough! Get into the safety car window. You might just have to pray for another safety car situation. You feel like a superhero on the superior tire, like taking candy from a baby. The rule was that the pit lane stays closed for the first three laps under the safety car. Stay n the road and keep the car pointed in the right direction. Both Ferrari's on rain tires and you can use an unlimited quantity of rain tires but the track is drying at Brussels corner but there is a sheen off water but the dry line is there, and yet, there is water on the windscreens of the cars. Sebastien Buemi is unscathed thus far.
Safety car lights out, and it is coming to the lane at the end of this lap. Earl Bamber in the #2 Cadillac, what will he do? Roughly, another half an hour of fuel is in the tank. We might see the energy graphic ror the Hypercars. We'll find out. Hard to figure out the graphics on your television or iPad screen sometimes. They still have 4/5ths of their energy allotment. We are going to see the runners on wet tires fly Plummet Airways we for a wee while but then, they will perhaps climb to more altitude. We'll see. Here we go. It is time to go back to green. Punch it! Ferrari 1-2 and now watch the #7 Toyota. The slicks are in good shape. The #6 Porsche is harrying one of the Peugeot's. That is Gustavo Menezes in the #94 9X8.
The Glickenhaus and the Vanwall are probably both on slicks. Ben Keating leading Tomonobu Fujii who is flying and passes Ben Keating! Fujii San has to be on slicks! Well, well, well. So, now, Mike Conway is giving Paul di Resta a run for his money in the sister Peugeot, Conway crawling all over the Peugeot. Ben Keating is being passed by everyone so he is definitely stymied on these tires. Ulysse de Pauw in the rebuilt #21 Ferrari is making inroads as well, look. The Peugeot is in reverse almost, losing traction like mad. It is too late. They cannot go back now and will have to wait. Everyone on wets, they are dropping like stones.
A bit of spray up the Kemmel straightaway. Mike Conway passes Earl Bamber. Buemi is now catching Michael Christensen in the #5 Porsche 963. I think Mike Conway in the #7 Toyota is just going to have more speed. Why racing cars have slick tires instead f tresded like street cars, extra grip. Slick tires, you will slide around. To the lead for Toyota? He is going for it and monstering the #51 Ferrari 499P! Box, box, box. Go to the pits! You are giving things away. The #3 Cadillac in yellow is up to fourth place. Sebastien Buemi buried in ninth but still in the points. Tire changes at Peugeot, for both cars. The traffic is horrid.
Antonio Gionvinazzi is in the lane. Renger van der Zande is actuallly passing Gionvinazzi. It is the #50 in the lane. Peugeot in and out of the lane as well. Doriane Pin leads Filip Urgan and others in the LMP2 class. Cadillac #2 out fo the pits and they cannot maintain progress by the GTE cars driven by Bronze drivers! Poor old Nicklas Nielsen on ice skates! Peugeot #94 is gaining heat in the tires. #51 fueling up. Paul di Resta lost 30 seconds in the #93 Peugeot 9X8. Criminy! Now, Sebastien Buemi has moved to seventh as the Ferrari is squirming on the pit apron in the endurance pits on the downhill side, the heritage pit lane. Ferrari 488 GTE #21 is in the lane for a penalty with Ulysse de Pauw.
Sebastien Buemi is monstering Michael Christensen in Porsche #5 who is behind the #4 Vanwall with Tom Dillman at the controls. A long, long way to go and the fuel strategy will be affected big style. Tom Blomqvist leads LMP2 from pole. Doriane Pin second ahead of Sean Gelael, Filip Urgan, and more. Sebastien Buemi is still stymied behind the Porsche and the Vanwall. The Porsche is being stymied by the Vanwall on the downhill side of the circuit. Sebastien Buemi has the experience for dead sure and is relishing that safety car earlier. He is biding his time just showing his nose to the Porsche.
Romain Dumas in the Glickenhaus is the slowest Hypercar. To the outside, Christensen passes. Tom Blomqvist is catching the Hypercars. Last year an LMP2 car almost won this event. Blomqvist is booking it and sticking with thenYpercars as we see damage to the #22 sister United Autosport car as Phil Hanson hands over to one of his co-drivers. Mike Conway in Toyota #7 under investigation by the stewards. Trouble in paradise for Antonio Givinazzzi and in replay, the #22 United Autosport Oreca did spin and they are undergoing a nose change. The #3 Cadillac has lapped Antonio Giovinazzi. Fredric Lubin is now in the #22.
The Glickenhaus passes the CarGuy Ferrari 488 GTE of Takeshi Kimura. Ferrari, Porsche, Glickenhaus in a battle of their own and I think SebastieBuemo si closing in but just slightly. The pace is just nowhere with the Toyota and we wonder why. Criminy, this is unusual. Nicklas Nielsen has no tire pressure and is being told to push. It is still cold tires. #50 and #51 are nose to tail and are 31st and 33rd and the rest of the Hypercars are wiping the floor with them! Holy moly Martha! Buemi has lapped both Ferrari's or, excuse me, he's about to lap the second one. Since they have come out from the tire change, the #94 Peugeot is a minute up on the Ferrari's and Buemi, look, he is setting fast laps.
The Ferrari's have had MGU issues but now they are perhaps having braking woes as well. These low temperatures affect these cars hugely. Ferrarijust cannot go over the hurdle as the #38 Jota Porsche 963 is off the road and back on, on cold tires and now, Tom Blomqvist is about to lap the Ferrari after passing the Vanwall and now, the #10 Vector Sport Oreca has lost a wheel. Three wheels on me wagon and game over. It was not the engine. He has no drive with three wheels. Gabriel Aubry, Ryan Cullen, and Matthias Kaiser, are out of this one. Tom Blomqvist pits and so does the #28 Jota Oreca. I don't know how we can rescue the car without a safety car. The full field is pitting in LMP2 save for the #22 United Autosport entry that pitted already.
Full Course Yellow. United Autosports #22 has had their strategy torpedoed. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Full Course Yellow. Intervening in turn five. Everyone is now at 80 kilometers an hour, 50 miles an hour. The opening 40 minutes of this race have been bananas! Vector Sport, their race is over. Dorianne Pin swipes right across David Heinemeier Hansson and Rui Andrade in the lane! Yikes! At Vector Sport the engine is broken and the LMP2 cars have half shafts, not solid differentials. Remove Full Course Yellow in 30 seconds and get back on the power. 20 seconds. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Green flag. Dumas vs. Christensen vs. Buemi and the Glickenhaus is caught napping!
Holy smokes! Christensen passes Romain Dumas! The Porsche reacted faster and locks up the brakes screaming past the #98 Heart of Racing Aston Martin of Paul Dalla Lana. Sebastien Buemi flashing the lights at Romain Dumas. Porsche, Glickenhaus, Toyota. Buemi giving Dumas fits! But Dumas is no slouch and Buemi has to think again before La Source. Dumas not defending. Wait to Eau Rouge. Dumas squeezes him. You are not getting by me, sunshine. Up the Kemmel straightaway Buemi does make the move. That was great racing! The #36 Alpine in the lane. The two Alpine's have been leading LMP2 but are outliers on a separate strategy.
Mike Conway now leads the motor race by 12 seconds with 17 laps on the board, 74 miles completed. Do not go anywhere. We have Le Mans coming up and then, Monza in July for the 6 Hours. The Ferrari's are beginning t push and unlapping themselves from the Vanwall. The Vanwall is seventh while the Ferrari's are 26th and 27th! Ferrari might be running on medium tires, honestly. Cadillac and Peugeot. Earl Bamber vs. Paul di Resta for ninth in Hypercar, 17th overall. The #83 Ferrari is 25th overall and fourth in GTE Am. The Buemi and Christensen fight continues. Porsche 963 and Toyota GR010. What changes will be made to some of the newer cars like the Porsche and Cadillac before Le Mans. Earl Bamber on medium Michelin tires and are double stinting just like IMSA in the states.
Stay out of the pits and get the time back. Strategy in Hypercar is hard to call at this time and the same is true in GTE Am. Could the 24 Hours of Le Mans be this way next month? We'll have to see, in about six weeks or so. The centenary of Le Mans will be off the chain! We are going to have another Porsche, the Action Express Cadillac, and another Glickenhaus to come. Buemi to the outside of the Porsche and he gets stymied on the crossover. The Porsche is beginning to squirm. The Porsche 963 is tail happy and so Michael Christensen is wrestling it right now. Christensen is really showing Buemi that Porsche will not roll over and play dead.
Renger van der Zande in the #3 Cadillac at 2:06.7 and is eight tenths quicker than both the Toyota and the Porsche. The Hypercar scrap is fascinating! Buemi says that his rival is completely mad. But, this is motor racing. Keep going. A lot of drivers are just not keen on fighting their rivals. Buemi is not used to having to pass anyone. Welcome to the rest of your career, Sebastien. Fighting for their lives are the Ferrari's unapping themselves from the Glickenhaus. That is a risky move through Pouhon or Fangnes. Romain Dumas decides discretion is the better part of valor. I think the Porsche's are backed into a hole.
Blue flags waving for a slow Alpine LMP2 and a slow GTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE, the #54 AF Corse car. The Ferrari 499P's are having huge issues with turning on the tires. Nicklas Nielsen is finally on pace. Sarah Bovy has lapped Ben Keating in GTE Am. Porsche 911 RSR-19 over Chevrolet Corvette C8.R Fortune doth favor the brave indeed. Buemi is told to just keep his head down and drive. He is telling the team about understeer and now side bu side stuff as Sean Gelael makes his move in LMP2 being overtaken by Doriane Pin! Wow! Pin is a revelation in LMP2 and is the real deal! Holy cow!
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