+ 44-car grid to compete in support of the 78th CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
+ Hundreds of GT cars to take to the streets in spectacular pre-event parade
+ Record-breaking edition of the world’s biggest GT race to draw huge crowds
+ Provisional entry list, Spa-Francorchamps
The GT4 European Series will take its place on the biggest GT racing stage of them all next week (June 23-28) with a mighty field forming a key part of the support package for the 78th CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.
The world’s biggest GT race creates a unique opportunity for GT4 European Series competitors to enjoy unrivalled exposure, with over 100,000 spectators expected to flock to the famed Belgian venue to witness the action first-hand, and millions more tuning in to watch live on YouTube.
The 44-car GT4 Europe field will take the spotlight on Saturday, with the opening race running into the darkness. The season’s only GT4 night race will provide thrills by headlights and further set the scene for the 24-hour spectacular that lies ahead.
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FROM THE TRACK, TO THE STREET
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa takes fan engagement to a whole new level, building on the already hugely popular activations seen across the GT World season and making them bigger and better.
Perhaps the standout attraction will be the parade on Wednesday 24 June when the full complement of 70 GT3s entered for the 24 Hours will be joined by cars from GT4 Europe, the GT3 Revival Series, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and McLaren Trophy Europe for a trip into town like no other. Over 150 competition cars will make the 10km drive into central Spa along public roads with thousands of fans lining the route. Once complete, the public are free to take in the glory of the full entry of the event displayed around the square, providing unprecedented access with a stage hosting public Q&As with star drivers, an autograph session and live music.
The festivities don’t stop there, as once the cars return to the track the huge Fan Village located at the foot of Raidillon comes into its own from Thursday. Boasting a funfair, merchandise stands, a huge array of food and drink options, plus the iconic Ferris wheel offering unrivalled views of the first sector.
Music will form a huge part of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, with live concerts taking place across both Thursday and Friday before superstar Belgian DJ Dimitri Vegas lights up the stage with a headline set on Saturday night as the GT3’s headlights illuminate Eau Rouge. It promises to be an atmosphere like no other.
WHO CAN STOP SCHNITZELALM?
When it comes to debut seasons, SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm’s performance so far takes some beating. GT4 Germany graduates Enrico Förderer and Cedric Fuchs have scored a stunning three victories from the opening four races across Circuit Paul Ricard and Monza to lay down a formidable marker in the title race.
However, such is the competitiveness of GT4 Europe, that can all change quickly. Lucas Cartelle and Hudson Schwartz are the only crew to defeat the #111 Mercedes-AMG so far, with their breakthrough win for the new CRT-Sport Toyota team helping them run second. An off-colour weekend in Monza hurt Lluc Ibañez and Alex Papadopulos, so the NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG pair will be keen to return to podium-challenging form.
Defending champions Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche were rapid but unlucky in Italy. While the Team Speedcar Audi pair scored a second place to finally get their title defence rolling, they are still searching for their first win of the year and already trail Förderer/Fuchs by 53pts.
Pro-Am also boasts a tight entry. Schubert Motorsport BMW pair Joakim Walde and Victor Bouveng have yet to finish lower than second, and therefore hold the early lead. Daniel Drexel and Chris Salkeld have been winners in their Razoon – More Than Racing M4 while Paolo and Davide Meloni make it three BMWs at the top of the standings thanks to their steady points-scoring form. Lotus PB Racing shone on home soil at Monza with a class win for Maurizio Copetti and Massimiliano Schiavone.
Despite being the only Am class entrants yet to win a race, a streak of podium finishes has helped Mikael and Christoffer Brunnhagen to lead the class in Gazoo Racing Sweden’s Supra. They will resume battle with Max Kronberg/Daniel Blickle’s W&S Porsche and Julien Ripert in his Team Speedcar Audi.
New entries come from Full Send Racing, which brings an Aston Martin for Daniel Lavery and Darren Turner; a third NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG shared by Australian brothers Joshua and Diesel Thomas; the return of the Alpine brand with 2024 Am champion Laurent Hurgon sharing an A110 GT4+ with Lazare Lartigau; Lestrup Racing’s BMW shared by Daniel Varverud and Stefan Nilsson and the ME Motorsport M4 driven by Philip Wiskirchen and Linus Hahne.
