The FIA World Endurance Championship continues with its third round at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, where the Vista AF Corse team arrives following the two fifth-place finishes of its Ferrari 296 LMGT3 entries in the opening rounds at Lusail and Imola. The six-hour race kicks off at 2 p.m. local time on Saturday, 10 May.
Held on the 7.004-kilometre Belgian circuit – the second-longest on the world championship calendar after Le Mans – this round is the final preparation ahead of the 24 Hours on 14–15 June in France. Entries include the crews of Ferrari’s two official drivers: Alessio Rovera will share the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 21 with François Heriau and Simon Mann, while the other Maranello-based manufacturer official driver, Davide Rigon, will drive the number 54 car alongside Thomas Flohr and Francesco Castellacci.
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit, inaugurated in 1921, features 19 turns and is deeply intertwined with endurance racing history. The first edition of the 24 Hours of Spa – today a GT3-only event – was in 1924, and the FIA WEC has had a leg on the undulating Ardennes forest circuit every year since the championship’s inception in 2012.
The situation. The number 54 Ferrari car of Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Davide Rigon has claimed two points finishes – eighth and fifth – placing the crew ninth in the standings with 16 points. The sister car, number 21, crewed by François Heriau, Simon Mann, and Alessio Rovera, was forced to retire at Imola following a collision. However, due to their fifth-place finish in Qatar, the trio currently sits tenth in the Drivers’ standings with 15 points.
The programme. The Belgian race weekend kicks off on Thursday, 8 May, with two 90-minute free practice sessions. The green flags will be waved at 11.45 a.m. and 4.50 p.m., respectively. On Friday, 9 May, a third free practice session will take place from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by LMGT3 qualifying at 2.40 p.m. and the Hyperpole session at 3.03 p.m. As noted, the race will kick off at 2 p.m. on Saturday, 10 May (local time).
