Five Manufacturers Registered for IGTC Points at Spa

Photo: Porsche

A total of five GT3 manufacturers are set to do battle in the second round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge at Spa-Francorchamps, with the entry list of eligible points-scoring cars and drivers having been released by the SRO.

It features factory or works-supported entries from Audi, Mercedes-AMG, Bentley, McLaren and Porsche, the same five manufacturers represented on the grid in the season-opening Liqiui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

Defending IGTC champions Audi, which claimed victory in Bathurst, currently hold a four-point lead in this year’s title race over Mercedes-AMG, with Porsche a close third following its overall podium finish by Black Swan Racing in Australia.

Both WRT and reigning Total 24 Hours of Spa winners Sainteloc will again represent Audi in the IGTC points, with the Nos. 1, 2 and 17 WRT Audi R8 LMS cars all registered, along with the solo Audi Sport-backed Sainteloc entry driven by Markus Winkelhock, Christopher Haase and Frederic Vervisch.

AMG Performance entries from Black Falcon, Strakka Racing, HTP Motorsport and AKKA ASP, meanwhile, will carry the flag for Mercedes-AMG, while all four of the Porsche 911 GT3 Rs entered in the race will also score IGTC points, including the Pro-Am Cup Black Swan Racing entry and Am Cup Porsche fielded by Herberth Motorsport.

A pair of McLaren 650S GT3s run by Garage 59 and the two new-generation M-Sport Bentley Continental GT3s, meanwhile, will also be part of the 16-car IGTC field.

While not eligible to score manufacturer points, both the No. 42 Strakka Racing and No. 175 SunEnergy1 Team HTP Mercedes are listed on the entry list due to its Bronze-rated drivers, Nick Leventis and Kenny Habul, who are among the drivers in the new-for-2018 Bronze Cup.

Habul unofficially leads the Bronze Cup after his second place overall finish at Bathurst, although the full classification will not be determined until after the season-ending California 8 Hours at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in October, due to “eligibility criteria” according to a release from the SRO.

Unlike the Blancpain GT Series, where points are awarded at various segments in the race, IGTC points will only be given out at the end of the race.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John