Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Eau Rouge, Blanchimont, Raidillon, La Source…names which are steeped in motorsport history and which all mean only one thing – Spa! One of the oldest circuits in the world, it has undergone several redesigns through its history, most extensively 45 years ago when the track was modified and shortened from a 14 km circuit using public roads to its current permanent status.

Endurance racing here can be traced back to the mid-1920s and Spa has been a regular stop on the FIA WEC calendar since 2012. At 7,004km in length, and with 19 turns, it is the second longest circuit on the calendar after Le Mans and is always placed in the calendar as the traditional ‘dress rehearsal’ for the big one. The highest elevation of any race track of the season not only brings technical challenges but it also the WEATHER! Set in the scenic Ardennes mountains in southern Belgium, competitors can expect any, and many, different climatic conditions in the course of just one race, from sun to snow.

Look back to 2023…

The sight of the world’s most sophisticated and high-performing sports prototypes and GTE cars thundering down into Eau Rouge is guaranteed to bring a tingle down the spine of even the most casual motorsport fan and Spa’s weather gods played their part in delivering an incident-filled thriller.

In difficult conditions, which led to several notable incidents for Hypercar runners, old hands Toyota came through to clinch another 1-2 victory. The #7 crew of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José Maria López led home the #8 Toyota with the #51 Ferrari taking third place – with a flying James Calado surging on the final lap to move ahead of the #5 Porsche. The field included 13 Hypercars with a second Cadillac and the new JOTA Porsche being added ahead of Le Mans, but the #3 Cadillac crashed heavily at Eau Rouge taking the potential podium contender out of the race.
Team WRT won the LMP2 class after a typically intense battle throughout by beating #23 United Autosports in the pit lane during late simultaneous fuel stops. Inter Europol rounded out the podium thanks to a charging final stint. In GTE, AF Corse’s Ferrari pipped Corvette Racing to the win, the American car fighting off a determined ORT by TF Aston Martin for the final podium place.