Different strategies change racing order
Blancpain Endurance Series - Total 24 Hours of Spa - Race update after 2 hours
Photo by: Vision Sport Agency
A lengthy safety car intervention - necessary to repair the guard rails at the end of the Kemmel straight - and a drying track has completely changed the racing order at the end of the second hour of the Total 24 Hours of Spa.
The teams and drivers that gambled on a drying track and switched to slick tyres were caught out when a fresh rain shower hit the Ardennes track as we approached the second hour. Just after the two hour mark the rain intensified causing the Stewards to impose a full course yellow before an incident between the #3 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT car and the #53 AF Corse Ferrari and the third safety car was deployed.
Pro Cup
René Rast (#1 Audi Sport Team WRT) took the lead of the race when the safety car returned to the pitlane with 22 hours and 18 minutes left to race. The #59 Von Ryan Racing McLaren of Alvaro Parente dropped to sixth after having changed to slicks, and dropped even further down the order to 28th when it had to come back in for rain tyres. Other cars - such as the #23 Nissan GT Academy Team RJN car - suffered a same fate.
With the Top-7 cars having made their pitstop just before the two hour mark both BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS cars, who had dropped outside the Top-30 after the first pitstop, were leading the race. The #35 Saintéloc Audi was third and a surprising #63 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini, that started from the back of the grid after an engine change, in fourth.
Pro-Am Cup
The #79 Ecurie Ecosse BMW took the lead of the class - and a position in the top-10 overall - behind the safety car and Alexander Sims managed to hold on to that lead despite the difficult conditions. The #47 AF Corse Ferrari was in second ahead of the #4 Team WRT of Audi.
Am Cup
The only car leading its class not suffering from the conditions was the #24 Team Parker Racing Audi, that now enjoys a healthy lead over the #50 AF Corse Ferrari and the #28 Delahaye Racing Team Porsche in third.
Blancpain GT Series
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