With the factory-backed Corvette Racing team having the weekend off, we’ll be watching the two Corvette privateer racing teams compete in the FIA-GT Championship at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium. The 4.3 mile track is one of the most historic and challenging in the world and with three Corvettes battling the likes of Maserati, Saleen, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin, its definitely a race worth watching. Unlike LeMans or the ALMS, there are no prototype classes so the GT1 cars will also be competing for the overall win.
Germany’s Phoenix Carsport will be defending the GT1 Championship in the GMAC #5 and #6 Corvette C6.R’s. The Belgium-based Selleslagh Racing Team (SRT) will also be racing a Corvette C6.R.
Last year’s race was a battle of the Corvette C6.R vs the Maserati MC12 with Carsport Holland’s #5 Corvette C6.R taking the win after the class leader Vitaphone Maserati MC12 missed a turn and landed in the gravel. The 2007 race was also quite exciting as Corvette Racing’s Olivier Beretta and Oliver Gavin joined up with the Luc Alphand Adventures Corvette racing team. Unfortunately, I don’t see an entry this year for the distinctive White C6.R.
European-based Corvette Motorsport will be offering live coverage of the 24 Hours of Spa through their website. Live on-board cameras and pit feeds will be streamed. Combined with timing and scoring information and live chat for fans, it should be relatively easy for us US-based Corvette Racing fans to keep up with all the action that happens in a 24 hour endurance race. Click here for a video teaser.
In the first Pre-Qualifying reports, we see that Corvettes are running 1-2 (Phoenix Racing/SRT) with Vitaphone’s Maserati MC12 third.
Live coverage of the practices and qualifying kicks off today and the race is scheduled to start at 4:00 PM local time. I believe that translates to 10 AM Eastern Time.
Bondurant School of High Performance Driving
Source:
Corvette Motorsport
Photo Credit: Planet LeMans
Related:
Spa 24: Corvettes Finish 1st and 3rd (2007)
Technorati Tags:
Corvette |
Vette |
FIA-GT |
24 |
Spa |
Francorchamps |
Racing |
GT1
-
