TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022: PRO-AM race
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
The PRO-AM class counted 7 entries with 4 Porsche 911 GT3-R, one McLaren 720S GT3, one Ferrari 488 GT3 and one Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Qualifying and grid positions
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Stefano Costantini, Louis Machiels, Andrea Bertolini, Alessio Rovera with AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 were the fastest of combined qualifying in class 0,483” ahead of Stefan Aust, Niki Leutwiler, Nico Menzel, Alessio Picariello in Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #24 with #52 being 41st overall and #25, 49th.
Rovera would thereby start from row 20 and Alessio Picariello from row 24.
First 6 hours,
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Alessio Picariello rapidly took the lead in front of Jaxon Evans with Porsche 911 GT3-R #9, Henrique Chaves with McLaren 720S GT3 #188, Earl Bamber in Porsche 911 GT3-R #"39, and Alessio Rovera with AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
After 3 hours, Alexander West, Miguel Ramos, Dean Macdonald, and Henrique Chaves’ Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 #188 was the leader of PRO-AM class 1’17”954 ahead of Porsche 911 GT3-R #24 as Stefan Aust, Niki Leutwiler, Nico Menzel had progressively lost the lead won by Alessio Picariello during his first stint.
After 6 hours,
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Alessio Picariello and his teammates were on the lead again, 21.964” ahead of Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 #188.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
By that time Adrian Henry de Silva, Stephen Grove, Brenton Grove, Matthew Payne with Earl Bamber Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #16 and Antares Au, Kevin Tse, Dylan Pereira, Jaxon Evans driving Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #9 had retired.
At mid-race,
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Alessio Picariello and Stefan Aust, Niki Leutwiler, Nico Menzel were still in the lead in Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #24. They had comfortably increased their lead to Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 #188 with one lap.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Stefano Costantini, Louis Machiels, Andrea Bertolini, Alessio Rovera with AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 were third, 2 laps behind Porsche #24.
During the next 5 hours, AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 was gaining momentum and passing McLaren #188 for P2, one lap behind Porsche #24.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
At 10:26.222 AM, Niki Leutwiler with leading Porsche #24 went off-road igniting a FCY to get the car out of a wrong position. The Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-R #24 team had to retire.
After 18 hours racing,
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
The Safety Car that followed the incident, enabled AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 to be nose to tail with McLaren #188. Alexander West, Miguel Ramos, Dean Macdonald, Henrique Chaves in Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 #188 were in the lead of class but not for long as they retired 6’58.768” later!
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Stefano Costantini, Louis Machiels, Andrea Bertolini, Alessio Rovera with AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 would then become the new leader of class with a comfortable advance of 4 laps to SunEnergy1- by SPS Mercedes-AMG GT3 #75 and Singha Racing Team TP 12 Porsche 911 GT3-R #39.
Checkered flag,
The three remaining cars in class would remain in that order until checkered flag with
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
Stefano Costantini, Louis Machiels, Andrea Bertolini, Alessio Rovera with AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 #52 winning the class and being P20 overall, 3 laps ahead of
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
P2 Dominik Baumann, Martin Konrad, Kenny Habul, Philip Ellis in SunEnergy1- by SPS Mercedes-AMG GT3 #75, and four laps ahead of
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa 2022.
P3 Piti Bhirombhakdi, Christophe Hamon, Tanard Sathienthirakul, Earl Bamber in Singha Racing Team TP 12 Porsche 911 GT3-R #39.
