Daybreak at Spa; WRT Audi Out Front

Photo: SRO

The sun has risen over a foggy and cold Spa-Francorchamps, with the No. 2 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS out front of the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

Nico Mueller holds a 50 plus-second gap over the pair of BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS BMW Z4 GT3s in second and third, although it’s been the ROWE Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 that’s led the majority of the early morning hours.

Daniel Juncadella pitted the gull-winged beast for routine service halfway through the 15th hour, dropping out of the lead to fourth, but still on the tail end of the lead lap.

The No. 47 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 of Giamaria Bruni continues to lead Pro Am Cup, running a respectable fifth overall, ahead of the No. 5 Phoenix Racing Audi R8 LMS in sixth.

A five-way fight for the lead was reduced to four just past the halfway mark when Maxi Buhk’s No. 8 M-Sport Bentley Continental GT3 ground to a halt on track at Les Combes, ending in retirement for the remaining factory entry.

Prior to the 10th safety car period of the race, coming in the 14th hour for a crash by the No. 30 Classic & Modern BMW, the top four had been separated by less than 30 seconds.

Race action resumed following a 20-minute neutralization for barrier repairs for the BMW’s accident.

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