A full compliment of drivers confirmed at Garage 59's ready for Spa 24 ?

Catching up with the news from yesterday was a more concise provisional entry list for this year’s Spa 24 being released by race organisers, detailing an expected grid of sixty GT3 cars for this year’s event that will start at the end of the month.

Having again been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 saga in terms of dates, this year’s event has reverted back to closer to its ‘usual’ summer fixture after having been moved out to a wet and wild date in October for last year’s event and (importantly) for this year, the public are being invited back!

This news comes out just as catastrophic events have also been seen right across central Europe (including Belgium and Germany) where huge volumes of rainfall have come down over the previous days leading to flash floods, structural damage and a large loss of life as a result. Even today, the Spa Francorchamps circuit posted images of service roads into the circuit having been literally washed away and destroyed after this week’s rainfall – that goes on top of previous damage caused to the racetrack surface only a few weeks ago.

Getting back to the racing, this week’s entry list doesn’t really give up all the news that we were expecting as whilst it did again confirm the three car Garage 59 Aston Martin Racing entries across the Pro, Pro-Am and Silver Cup classes – it didn’t potentially mention all of their drivers?

The #95 Pro Cup car effort for AMR Factory drivers Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorensen and Ross Gunn was again confirmed as was the #188 Pro-Am car for full season GT World Challenge Europe (Endurance Cup) drivers Alex West, Chris Goodwin and Jonny Adam. They will also be joined by a fourth driver at Spa – now confirmed as being Charlie Eastwood.

The only expectation that hasn’t been confirmed either way is a 4th man for the teams #159 Silver Cup entry for season long drivers Valentin Hasse-Clot, Alex McDowall and Nicolai Kjaergaard. Earlier releases from the team stated a 4th driver for both their full season cars and sources within the team suggest that a 4th driver may still be on the cards – but who??

A bronze driver test kicks off the Spa 24 proceedings on Tuesday 27tyh July with Practice, Pre-Qualifying, Qualifying and night practice taking care of Thursday. Hopefully, we will get to see the #95 car in Super Pole on Friday evening before the start of the 24hr itself being waved off at 16:30hrs (local) on Saturday.

Photo credits - GTWCE