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 winners, 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.
When is the 2024 Spa 24 Hours?
- Date: Saturday 29 June - Sunday 30 June
- Start time: 3:30pm BST/4:30pm local time
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.
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
|
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.
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
|