With the Official Test Day for the Belgian classic taking place on Wednesday June 24th, the entry list for the 2015 Total 24 Hours of Spa is nearing its finalisation. Big names from endurance racing will join the Blancpain Endurance Series regulars at the end of July, to take part in what will certainly be a historic edition.
With an unprecedented 28 cars entered in the Pro Cup, it is clear that the battle for the win in the 2015 Total 24 Hours of Spa will be fiercer than ever, especially since some important endurance specialists will take on the Blancpain Endurance Series stalwarts. Phoenix Racing has acquired the services of triple Le Mans 24 hours-winner André Lotterer, joining his long-time team-mate (and former Spa winner) Marcel Fässler and successful endurance driver Mike Rockenfeller in the #6 Phoenix Audi. The German team’s other car will see Spa newcomers Christian Mamerow and Nicki Thiim joining former Blancpain Endurance Series-champion Christopher Mies.
Markus Winkelhock has switched to Belgian Audi Club Team WRT for the Total 24 Hours of Spa. With him joining Laurens Vanthoor and René Rast at the wheel of one of the four new Audi R8 LMS, the 2014 winning combination being reunited for the first time since last year’s nail-biting finish to the Total 24 Hours of Spa.
Last year’s runners-up, BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, is back with two BMW Z4 GT3. Judging by their strong performance in the Blancpain Endurance Series 1000 at Circuit Paul Ricard last weekend, the Belgian squad means business and is very determined to claim a first win in their home race.
Another Belgian has entered the Pro Cup searching for success: Nico Verdonck will join Adam Christodoulou and an as yet unnamed third driver at the wheel of the #29 Black Falcon Mercedes SLS AMG GT3. The Mercedes trio should certainly be considered as one of the outsiders for a podium finish.
In the 25-car strong Pro-Am Cup Australian team Lago Racing brings its Lamborghini Gallardo to Spa, with V8 Supercar-star Craig Lowndes (who took his 100th win last weekend) among the drivers.
British squad Motion Performance joins the field as well, entering an Aston Martin Vantage GT3, while AF Corse will bring a Ferrari 458 for the recently announced quatuor of Bruni, Pier Guidi, Lathouras and Lemeret, strong contenders for the class win.
The Pro-Am Cup also harbours the BMW Racing against Cancer-project of Pascal Witmeur, with which the Belgian wants to raise awareness for the illness, in the company of three drivers that together have won twelve editions of the Total 24 Hours of Spa: Eric van de Poele, Jean-Michel Martin and Marc Duez.
Lemeret is not the only Belgian driver aiming for class success in Spa, as Frederic Bouvy is aiming to do the same in Am Cup. Bouvy, celebrating his 21st participation, won the Spa classic twice during the Touring Car era and now will be part of the crew in the #30 Classic & Modern Racing BMW.
With a total of 66 cars on the entry list, the 2015 Total 24 Hours of Spa should see plenty of action in all three classes, providing entertaining race action all through the race. If you thought last year’s winning gap of seven seconds was unique and unrepeatable, you might have to reconsider come Sunday July 26th…
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Entry List
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Practical information – Total 24 Hours of Spa
When: 21-26 July 2015 Tickets: from 15 € General Entrance : 30 € (includes free entrance on Thursday and Friday) General Entrance + paddock : 60 € (includes free entrance on Thursday and Friday) VIP packages : from 180 € Children aged 12 or under, accompanied by an adult, enter for free Sales on : www.ticketmaster.be
Test Day: Wednesday June 24th
Race Week
Tuesday July 21st Bronze test 15:00 – 18:00
Wednesday July 22nd Parade Spa 16:00 Autograph session 17:00-18 :00
Thursday July 23rd Free Practice 12:00-13:30 Pre-Qualifying 18:10-19:10 Qualifying 20:30-21:45 Night Qualifying 22:15-23:45
Friday July 24th Super Pole 15:30-15:55
Saturday July 25th Warm Up 09:05-09:25 Starting procedure & Grid walk 15:45-16:30 Start of the Total 24 hours of Spa 16:30
Press release SRO
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