WRT’s Vanthoor Tops Red Flag-Filled Free Practice

Photo: Jules Benichou/21 Creation

Dries Vanthoor led the way in a red flag-filled Free Practice session for this weekend’s TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

The Belgian reeled off a best lap of 2:17.858 in the No. 32 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II to edge out the Pro-Am Cup class-leading No. 24 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R of Alessio Picariello, who ended up second overall.

Winward Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo of Lucas Auer was third quickest, leading the way for Gold Cup entrants, followed by the BMW M4 GT3s from ROWE Racing (No. 98) and Walkenhorst Motorsport (No. 34), respectively.

The No. 52 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020 was sixth, ahead of the No. 88 Akkodis ASP Team Mercedes and No. 50 ROWE BMW, which were seventh and eighth.

A total of four red flags marred the 90-minute session that led to limited running, particularly in the first half.

The first red came out moments after the session start for an unidentified car, with a second red caused by the No. 46 WRT Audi of Nico Mueller, which stopped on track with a technical issue.

While the car returned to the paddock on a flat-bed truck, the session was further delayed due to work on the curbing at Raidillon.

Hubert Haupt spun into the gravel bed at Turn 10 to bring out the third red flag while an accident for Maxime Oosten in the No. 28 ST Racing BMW at Raidillon resulted in the fourth stoppage.

A one-hour Pre Qualifying session is next up at 4:15 p.m. local time.

RESULTS: Free Practice

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