Oman Racing embroiled in great class battle at Spa24

Having just past the one - quarter race distance at the 2017 Total 24 Hours of Spa, the #97 Oman Racing Team entry is presently embroiled in great  'cat and mouse' battle for class honours on track with both the Black Falcon Pro Am entries.

As expected, Jonny Adam took the start for the team some six hours ago and held station with the break away bunch of Pro Class runners for the majority of his opening double stint, with his next class opponent languishing back in P22.

Race control were quickly busy putting into place warnings for track limits against what seemed to be most of the grid within the first half hour of racing although the #97 was (and has not so far) been pinged for that transgression.


Having run his first two, 65 minute drivers Adam handed over the car to Salih Yoluc for his first stint of the race catching the end of the race's first Safety Car period so at least he had a relatively gentle introduction to the 24hour race. Running to the 65 minute maximum stint length, Yoloc then handed over to his regular team mate Euan Hankey but by this time the #97 had already dropped back down the timing screen as many of the initially struggling Pro class cars had passed the #97 also dropping it back towards the other leading Pro Am class cars.

Taking it in turns to head the Pro Am field with the Black Falcon Mercedes SLS's it was slightly strange to see Hankey hand the car back to Adam for what would be another double stint. We wouldn't be seeing Ahmad Al Harthy take over until after the passing of the six hour mark - the first point in the race where points are awarded for position which the #97 was running in P1 in class at the time.


The Omani is now at the wheel still P2 in class (P16 overall) behind the Pro Am class leading #16 Black Falcon Mercedes that holds P11 overall.

The next stage of the race where additional points are awarded is at the half way point before full points at the end of the race.

Photo credits - TF Sport