The Spa 24 Hours celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2024, with a whopping 67 cars set to tackle the world-famous event renowned as one of the toughest in motorsport.
BMW squad Rowe Racing arrive as the defending event winner, after its M4 GT3 of Philipp Eng, Marco Wittmann and Nick Yelloly claimed victory by 11.1 seconds in 2023 ahead of the ASP team’s Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Rowe also took victory in the first GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup event of the year at Paul Ricard courtesy of Augusto Farfus, Dan Harper and Max Hesse in April.
But given the size of the grid and how long the race is, a back-to-back win at the event which forms part of both the Intercontinental GT Challenge and GTWCE Endurance is especially rare. The last time it occurred was in 2006, five years before the current GT3 era began.
It really is too close to call and the scene is set to be another thriller at Spa-Francorchamps. Here is how and when to watch the action.
Can Eng, Wittmann and Yelloly repeat their 2023 success for ROWE?
Photo by: BMW AG
When is the 2024 Spa 24 Hours?
- Date: Saturday 29 June — Sunday 30 June
- Start time: 2:30pm GMT / 3:30pm BST / 4:30pm local time / 10:30am ET / 12:30am AEST (Sunday) / 11:30pm JST
The 2024 Spa 24 Hours starts on Saturday 29 June at 3:30pm in the United Kingdom and 4:30pm local time. It is then scheduled to finish at 3:30pm BST and 4:30pm local on Sunday 30 June to cap off four consecutive days of track action in Belgium.
It begins with free practice on Thursday 27 June, where drivers will start a 90-minute session at 10:20am BST (11:20am local time) before pre-qualifying that afternoon. Pre-qualifying is effectively another free practice, this time lasting for 60 minutes, however the results from this session will determine Saturday’s grid if qualifying for any reason cannot happen.
Thursday is set to be very busy, as pre-qualifying is just the second of four sessions happening that day. What follows is qualifying, due to start at 7:35pm BST (8:35pm local time) which will consist of four 15-minute sessions where one driver from each car will contest a different part. Three-driver crews skip Q1.
The average lap time across the sessions establishes the order, with qualifying determining who starts from 21st downwards as the top 20 fastest cars progress to Friday’s Super Pole Shootout.
Before then, however, is a 90-minute practice session at 9:25pm BST (10:25pm local) on Thursday which gives teams the chance to test their cars at night, often the most challenging part of the race given the reduced visibility and drop in temperature.
Friday is all about Super Pole. A 30-minute session beginning at 2:45pm BST (3:45pm) entails each team nominating a driver to set two flying laps, with the best time being recorded. This will determine the top 20 grid spots, while there is also a 30-minute warm-up session at 7:10pm BST (8:10pm local) on Friday evening before the race starts the following day.
#51 AF Corse — Francorchamps Motors Ferrari 296 GT3: Alessio Rovera, Robert Shwartzman, Nicklas Nielsen
Photo by: Eric Le Galliot
What are the timings for the 2024 Spa 24 Hours?
Here are the full timings for this week’s Spa 24 Hours:
|
Date |
Session |
Start time |
|
Thursday 27 June |
Free practice |
10:20am BST/11:20am local time |
|
Thursday 27 June |
Pre-qualifying |
3:30pm BST/4:30pm local time |
|
Thursday 27 June |
Qualifying |
7:35pm BST/8:35pm local time |
|
Thursday 27 June |
Night practice |
9:25pm BST/10:25pm local time |
|
Friday 28 June |
Super Pole Shootout |
2:45pm BST/3:45pm local time |
|
Friday 28 June |
Warm-up |
7:10pm BST/8:10pm local time |
|
Saturday 29 June |
Race start |
3:30pm BST/4:30pm local time |
|
Sunday 30 June |
Race ends |
3:30pm BST/4:30pm local time |
How can I watch the 2024 Spa 24 Hours?
The Spa 24 Hours is available to watch via Motorsport.tv, which will live stream qualifying, Super Pole, the race warm-up and the main event which means the practice sessions are not being broadcast. On Saturday, there will also be a one-hour build-up to the race while shortly after the 24-hour contest has finished, Motorsport.tv will upload highlights of the action.
Motorsport.tv‘s coverage is available worldwide — except for in Japan — and this year’s Spa 24 Hours can be watched via the platform for free.
|
Date |
Session |
Channel |
Coverage from |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Thursday 27 June |
Qualifying |
7:30pm BST/8:30pm local time |
|
|
Friday 28 June |
Super Pole Shootout |
2:40pm BST/3:40pm local time |
|
|
Friday 28 June |
Warm-up |
7:10pm BST/8:10pm local time |
|
|
Saturday 29 June |
Race |
2:30pm BST/3:30pm local time |
Race action
Photo by: AG Photo
Live stream links for the 2024 Spa 24 Hours
Here are the different links for each session that is available via Motorsport.tv:
Qualifying: https://motorsport.tv/gt-world/video/round-4-24-hours-of-spa-qualifying/192376
Super Pole Shootout: https://motorsport.tv/gt-world/video/round-4-24-hours-of-spa-super-pole-shootout/192377
Warm-up: https://motorsport.tv/gt-world/video/round-4-24-hours-of-spa-warmup/192375
Spa 24 Hours: https://motorsport.tv/gt-world/video/round-4-24-hours-of-spa-race/192378
Entry list for the 2024 Spa 24 Hours
The Spa 24 Hours is split across five categories: Pro, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Pro-Am. Eligibility is determined by the FIA grading system.
The Pro category, the highest-ranked class, has no restrictions on driver grading. But in the Gold class, a maximum of three gold-rated drivers must pair up with one silver; while the Silver class may comprise entirely of drivers with that grading.
A maximum line-up of platinum-silver-silver-bronze is permitted in the Bronze Cup, while in the Pro-Am category, teams must field a driver line-up that consists of no more than two platinum and two bronze drivers.
#17 Scherer Sport PHX Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II: Luca Engstler, Kelvin Van Der Linde, Nicki Thiim
Photo by: SRO
For this year’s Spa 24 Hours, nine manufacturers will be represented. Mercedes has the most cars entered with 14, ahead of Porsche on 12, Audi with eight and seven for Ferrari. Aston Martin, BMW, Lamborghini and McLaren all have six cars competing, while there is just one Ford Mustang GT3.
|
Car Number |
Team |
Car |
Drivers |
|
Pro — 24 cars |
|||
|
2 |
Mercedes-AMG Team |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Jules Gounon Fabian Schiller Luca Stolz |
|
7 |
Comtoyou Racing |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Mattia Drudi Marco Sorensen Nicki Thiim |
|
9 |
Boutsen VDS |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Thomas Drouet Maximilian Gotz Ulysse de Pauw |
|
22 |
Schumacher CLRT |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Dorian Boccolacci Ayhancan Guven Laurin Heinrich |
|
23 |
Phantom Global Racing |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Joel Eriksson Jaxon Evans Thomas Preining |
|
28 |
HAAS RT |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Simon Gachet Jan Heylen Dennis Lind |
|
32 |
Team WRT |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Sheldon van der Linde Dries Vanthoor Charles Weerts |
|
34 |
Walkenhorst Motorsport |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Henrique Chaves Ross Gunn David Pittard |
|
46 |
Team WRT |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Raffaele Marciello Maxime Martin Valentino Rossi |
|
48 |
Mercedes-AMG Team |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Lucas Auer Maro Engel Daniel Morad |
|
51 |
AF Corse |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Alessandro Pier Guidi Davide Rigon Alessio Rovera |
|
63 |
Iron Lynx |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Mirko Bortolotti Matteo Cairoli Andrea Caldarelli |
|
64 |
Proton Competition |
Ford Mustang GT3 |
Christopher Mies Dennis Olsen Frederic Vervisch |
|
71 |
AF Corse |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Vincent Abril Thomas Neubauer David Vidales |
|
92 |
SSR Performance with Herberth |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Matt Campbell Mathieu Jasmine Frederic Makowiecki |
|
96 |
Rutronik Racing |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Julien Andlauer Sven Muller Patric Niederhauser |
|
98 |
Rowe Racing |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Philipp Eng Marco Wittmann Nick Yelloly |
|
99 |
Tresor Attempto Racing |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Alex Aka Ricardo Feller Christopher Haase |
|
130 |
Mercedes-AMG Team |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Ralf Aron Daniel Juncadella Frederik Vesti |
|
159 |
Garage 59 |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
Tom Gamble Benjamin Goethe Dean MacDonald |
|
163 |
Grasser Racing Team |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Marco Mapelli Jordan Pepper Franck Perera |
|
911 |
Pure Rxcing |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Klaus Bachler Alex Malykhin Joel Sturm |
|
992 |
HubAuto Racing |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Kevin Estre Patrick Pilet Laurens Vanthoor |
|
998 |
Rowe Racing |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Augusto Farfus Dan Harper Max Hesse |
|
Gold — 6 cars |
|||
|
25 |
Sainteloc Junior Team |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Paul Evrard Gilles Magnus Jim Pla Ugo de Wilde |
|
60 |
2 Seas Motorsport |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Isa Al Khalifa Frank Bird Martin Kodric Lewis Williamson |
|
77 |
Haupt Racing Team |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Michele Beretta Arjun Maini Jusuf Owega |
|
88 |
Tresor Attempto Racing |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Glenn van Berlo Lorenzo Ferrari Leonardo Moncini Lorenzo Patrese |
|
111 |
CSA Racing |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Romain Carton Adam Eteki Arthur Rougier Steven Palette |
|
777 |
AlManar Racing |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Al Faisal Al Zubair Dominik Baumann Philip Ellis Mikael Grenier |
|
Silver — 10 cars |
|||
|
3 |
GetSpeed |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Anthony Bartone James Kell Yannick Mattler Aaron Walker |
|
10 |
Boutsen VDS |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Sebastien Baud Cesar Gazeau Roee Meyuhas Aurelien Panis |
|
12 |
Comtoyou Racing |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Nicolas Baert Erwan Bastard Esteban Muth Sebastian Ogaard |
|
19 |
Grasser Racing Team |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Hugo Cook Baptise Moulin Mateo Llarena Haytham Qarajouli |
|
21 |
Comtoyou Racing |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Charles Clark Sam Dejonghe Matisse Lismont Xavier Maassen |
|
26 |
Sainteloc Junior Team |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Ivan Klymenko Gilles Stadsbader Marcus Paverud Alban Varutti |
|
35 |
Walkenhorst Motorsport |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Lorcan Hanafin Romain Leroux Maxime Robin |
|
55 |
Dinamic GT |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Axel Blom Marius Nakken Theo Nouet Jop Rappange |
|
57 |
Winward Racing |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Daan Arrow Colin Caresani Tanart Sathienthirakul |
|
90 |
Madpanda Motorsport |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Patrick Assenheimer Karol Basz Ezequiel Perez Companc Alain Valente |
|
Bronze — 21 cars |
|||
|
5 |
Optimum Motorsport |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
Ben Barnicoat Shaun Balfe Sam Neary Ruben del Sarte |
|
8 |
Kessel Racing |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Daniele Di Amato David Fumanelli Nicolo Rosi Niccolo Schiro |
|
11 |
Comtoyou Racing |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Kobe Pauwels Dante Rappange Job van Uitert John de Wilde |
|
27 |
Optimum Motorsport |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
Rob Bell Ollie Millroy Mark Radcliffe Fran Rueda |
|
30 |
OQ by Oman Racing |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Ahmad Al Harthy Sam De Haan Jens Klingmann Calan Williams |
|
36 |
Walkenhorst Motorsport |
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo |
Tim Creswick Bijoy Garg Ben Green Mex Jansen |
|
52 |
AF Corse |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Andrea Bertolini Jef Machiels Louis Machiels Tommaso Mosca |
|
54 |
Dinamic GT |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Marvin Dienst Guilherme Oliveira Philipp Sager Christopher Zochling |
|
66 |
Tresor Attempto Racing |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Max Hofer Andrey Mukovoz Alexey Nesov Dylan Pereira |
|
72 |
Barwell Motorsport |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Patrick Kujala Mattia Michelotto Gabriel Rindone Casper Stevenson |
|
74 |
Kessel Racing |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
John Hartshorne Chandler Hull Phil Keen Ben Tuck |
|
78 |
Barwell Motorsport |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Till Bechtolsheimer Ricky Collard Antoine Doquin Sandy Mitchell |
|
80 |
Lionspeed GP with Herberth |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Antares Au Alexander Fach Alessio Picariello Martin Rump |
|
83 |
Iron Dames |
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2 |
Sarah Bovy Rahel Frey Michelle Gatting |
|
91 |
Herberth Motorsport |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Ralf Bohn Alfred Renauer Robert Renauer Morris Schuring |
|
93 |
Tempesta Racing |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Eddie Cheever III Chris Froggatt Jonathan Hui Lilou Wadoux |
|
97 |
Rutronik Racing |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Dustin Blattner Loek Hartog Dennis Marschall Zacharie Robichon |
|
158 |
Garage 59 |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
James Baldwin Nicolai Kjærgaard Chris Salkeld Mark Sansom |
|
188 |
Garage 59 |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
Marvin Kirchhofer Louis Prette Miguel Ramos Adam Smalley |
|
333 |
Rinaldi Racing |
Ferrari 296 GT3 |
Fabrizio Crestani Felipe Fernandez Laser Christian Hook David Perel |
|
991 |
Century Motorsport |
BMW M4 GT3 |
Pedro Ebrahim Darren Leung Connor De Phillippi Toby Sowery |
|
Pro-Am — 6 cars |
|||
|
4 |
CrowdStrike Racing |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Colin Braun Nicky Catsburg Ian James George Kurtz |
|
16 |
Uno Racing Team |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Indy Dontje David Pun RIO Kevin Tse |
|
38 |
HAAS RT |
Audi R8 LMS Evo II |
Julius Adomavicius Olivier Bertels Armand Fumal Brad Schumacher |
|
61 |
Earl Bamber Motorsport |
Porsche 911 GT3 R |
Earl Bamber Adrian D’Silva Brendon Leitch Kerong Li |
|
100 |
Team RJN |
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo |
Alex Buncombe Chris Buncombe Josh Caygill Jann Mardenborough |
|
888 |
Triple Eight JMR |
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo |
Prince Jefri Ibrahim Martin Konrad Jordan Love Alexander Sims |