GT World Challenge

2013 24 Hours Of Spa: Race Update After Hour 18

2 Mins read
2013 Total 24 Hours of Spa (Credit: V-IMAGES.com/Fabre)

As the first half of the race was dominated by the battle for the lead between Manthey Racing and Marc VDS Racing it is now the HTP Motorsport Mercedes fighting with the Porsche for the lead.

The two teams swapped the lead during the three hours up to 10:30am local time and the two-thirds distance of the race. Pitting on different schedules – lately because of the split strategy under the most recent safety car of the race – the Mercedes visited the pitlane with a little over seven hour remaining, giving up the lead to the Porsche – but only just.

Maximilian Buhk made short work of the handful of seconds he trailed Patrick Pilet to retake the lead, his advantage cemented once Pilet made his own pitstop.

The pattern, in part was repeated as the clock reached 10:30. Gotz took over the Mercedes in a scheduled pitstop and returned to the track just 10 seconds behind the Porsche. He quickly made up the gap and was clambering all over the rear of the Porsche as the second ticked down to leave six hours of the race to go.

A duel for the lead was not the only familiar theme reprised in this part of the race with ominously dark clouds wandering overhead, though never dropping nearly enough rain to make and impact on the race.

The #50 AF Corse Ferrari led the Pro-Am Cup for a time but was pushed out of the by a drive through penalty for not respecting track limits – one of several teams to be warned or worse as the daylight brought a return to the stewards enforcing of them.

The #50 ended the hour in third, their teammates – the #59 entry leading the class, though with Alessandro Pier Guidi closing in in the best of the SMP Racing Ferraris.

The Gentlemens’ Trophy class remains in the same order it has been for several hours with Ferraris first second and third for SOFREV ASP, Sport Garage and Kessel Racing each two laps of the 7km Spa circuit apart.

2013 Total 24 Hours of Spa class standings after 18 hours:

Pro Cup

1 – #150 Manthey Racing – Lieb/Lietz/Pilet
2 – #84 HTP Motorsport – Buhk/Gotz/Schnieder
3 – #2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT – Lotterer/Mies/Stippler

Pro-AM Cup

1 – #59 AF Corse – Cameron/Griffin/Mortimer/Vilander
2 – #70 SMP Racing – Bobbi/Basov/Pier Guidi/Skryabin
3 – #50 AF Corse – Bertolini/Cioci/Hommerson/Machiels

Gentlemens Cup

1 – #20 – SOFREV ASP – Beaubelique/Blanchemain/Bouvy/Gouselard
2 – #52 – Sport Garage – Gorini/Lemeret/Prignaud
3 – #111 – Kessel Racing – Andreasi/Ciro/Paladino/Perez

2902 posts

About author
James is our Diet-Coke fuelled writer and has been with TCF pretty much since day 1, he can be found frequenting twitter at @_JBroomhead
Articles
Related posts
24 Hours of Le MansBritish GTFIA WECGT World ChallengeIMSA

Ferrari give first glimpse of GT future with 296 GT3

1 Mins read
New Ferrari 296 GT3 is already being built and is expected to break cover in the coming months ahead of its 2023 race debut.
GT World Challenge

Valentino Rossi commits to GT World Challenge Europe with WRT

1 Mins read
Having just ended his decorated MotoGP career, Valentino Rossi is taking up the GT World Challenge Europe and will run the full 2022 slate for W Racing Team.
GT World Challenge

Preview: Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup - Monza

4 Mins read
The first round of the 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS gets under way this weekend at Monza. 44 cars line-up on the grid to fight for the win not just on the track but also in the virtual world.