Kirchhoefer Leads Opening Hour at Spa

Photo: JEP/SRO

Marvin Kirchhoefer led the opening hour of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa after a controlling stint from pole from the No. 59 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo.

Kirchhoefer held a narrow advantage over the second-placed No. 17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Jules Gounon, with Vincent Abril third in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3.

Sandy Mitchell got his No. 163 Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 around Maro Engel’s No. 48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG for fifth on Lap 13.

Mitchell, however, was one of the first pit callers, promoting Engel to fourth at the end of the hour.

The remainder of the leaders all pitted at the end of the hour, although the McLaren retained its lead following the sequence.

Defending race winner Nicki Thiim in the No. 7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo was sixth prior to the round of stops, with the No. 22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche 911 GT3 R of Ayhancan Guven was fourth.

The race’s first Full Course Yellow came on Lap 3 after the No. 60 VSR Lamborghini of Michele Beretta was turned around by the No. 52 AF Corse Ferrari of Louis Machiels at the chicane, which saw the No. 97 Rutronik Racing Porsche of Antares Au slam into Beretta’s stopped Lamborghini.

Au limped his Bronze Cup class Porsche back to the pits, shedding right-front bodywork and resulting in the neutralization for debris. The car returned from the garage near the end of the hour.

Machiels, meanwhile, was handed a drive-through penalty for causing a collision.

There were several other penalties, including a 150-second stop-and-hold for the No. 8 Kessel Racing Ferrari for an engine change after qualifying and a drive-through to the No. 27 QMMF By Sainteloc Racing Audi for a FCY infringement.

Trouble also struck the No. 88 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi of Riccardo Cazzaniga, which had a left-rear puncture and was forced to limp to the pits.

Three cars, meanwhile, started from the pit lane, including the No. 4 CrowdStrike by SPS Mercedes-AMG of Ian James.

The No. 2 Johor Motorsports JMR Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R didn’t take the start after the team was forced to change the right-front upright in the garage after a brake caliber issue while on the grid.

Prince Jefri Ibrahim later joined the race seven laps down.

Source: Sports Car 365