Seven Ferraris for Centenary 24 Hours of Spa
Two weeks after the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen achieved an extraordinary win in the Ferrari 499P number 50, accompanied on the podium by Pier Guidi, Calado, and Giovinazzi, who came third in the number 51, the Maranello manufacturer will compete in another great endurance classic, the 76th 24 Hours of Spa, the second round of the 2024 GT World Challenge Europe – Endurance Cup.
The centenary edition of the Belgian “marathon” runs over the weekend of 30 June and features 67 GT3 class cars, including seven Ferrari 296 GT3s entered by five teams in two different classes. Six Prancing Horse official drivers will compete on the 7.004-kilometre track that first hosted a 24 Hours race in 1924.
Four victories
In total, the Maranello manufacturer has picked up four overall victories in the 24 Hours of Spa.
The first Prancing Horse success was in 1949 when Luigi Chinetti and Jean Lucas won in the 166 MM on the undulating Ardennes forest track. The second win came in 1953 with the 375 MM driven by Giuseppe Farina and Mike Hawthorn. In the 21st century, Ferrari climbed the top step of the podium for the third time in 2004, with the 550 GTS crewed by Cappellari-Gollin-Bryner-Calderari. Ferrari’s last triumph at the 24 Hours – now restricted to GT3 class cars – was in 2021, when Pier Guidi and Nielsen, alongside Côme Ledogar, celebrated overall victory with the 488 GT3 Evo 2020.
The same car notched up three more class wins in 2019, 2021 and 2022, the latter when Bertolini, Rovera, L. Machiels and Stefano Costantini climbed the top step of the podium in the Pro-Am.
Andrea Bertolini’s roll of honour also includes overall wins in the historic Belgian race in 2006 and 2008. The fifty-year-old driver scored three class victories alongside Louis Machiels.
Pro class
Some 24 crews will compete for overall victory in the professional drivers-only category. Two 296 GT3s of AF Corse-Francorchamps Motors are registered for the Pro class. Alessandro Pier Guidi, Davide Rigon, and Alessio Rovera will crew Ferrari #51. Pier Guidi finished third in the Hypercar class at the Circuit de la Sarthe, while Rigon and Rovera competed in mid-June in the French LMGT3 class and last weekend in the 296 GT3 in the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen, the third round of the IMSA endurance championship.
The #71 car, with a red livery and yellow details, lines up for the same team. Its drivers are Thomas Neubauer, who is in his first season as a Prancing Horse official driver, Vincent Abril, and David Vidales.
Bronze class
The other five Ferrari 296 GT3s will all race in the professional and gentlemen drivers class.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours test days.
The Swiss Kessel Racing team will field #8, with Nicolò Rosi, Niccolò Schirò, and David Fumanelli joined at Spa-Francorchamps by Daniele Di Amato, and #74, with John Hartshorne, Chandler Hull, Ben Tuck, and Matt Bel.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours test days.
AF Corse entrusts the 296 GT3 #52 to Louis and Jef Machiels, who are competing in the GT WC Europe for the second consecutive year alongside Ferrari Development Driver Andrea Bertolini. Tommaso Mosca completes the crew expected in Belgium.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours test days.
The competitive class, featuring 24 cars, includes the #93 Ferrari of Sky Tempesta Racing, crewed by Christopher Froggatt, Jonathan Hui, and Eddie Cheever. Maranello’s official driver, Lilou Wadoux, completes the crew for the historic Belgian race. The Frenchwoman is competing in this year’s Japanese Super GT with the 296 GT3 and IMSA championship with an LMP2 class prototype. Last weekend, she won the LMP2 class with Nicklas Nielsen and Louis Perez Companc at Watkins Glen.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours test days.
Finally, Christian Hook, Felipe Fernandez Laser, David Perel, and Fabrizio Crestani are in Rinaldi Racing’s 296 GT3, #333.
The schedule for the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (all times CEST)
Thursday, 27 June:
11:20 – 12:50 hrs: Free Practice
16:30 – 17:30 hrs: Pre-Qualifying
20:35 – 21:55 hrs: Qualifying
22:25 – 23:55 hrs: Night Practice
Friday, 28 June:
15:45 – 16:15 hrs: Superpole
20:10 – 20:40 hrs: Warm-up
Saturday, 29 June:
16:30 hrs: Green light 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
Sunday, 30 June:
16:30 hrs: Chequered flag 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
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