Updates from Owen Bradley, Aaron Caroll and Sharifah Zaqreeztrina
LIVE: Spa 24 Hours Updates can be found here.
The Intercontinental GT World Challenge returns for their flagship event with 2024's edition being a special centenary celebration event. A few familiar faces and names will participate in this incredible 24 Hour Endurance race which will test the drivers, cars and teams to their absolute limit.
Valentino Rossi and his #46 WRT BMW start from 21st on the grid, the same position they started from last season as Rossi and Maxime Martin seek redemption for their results in Le Mans and Spa for the World Endurance Championship, where they unfortunately would retire from both races.
2023 Le Mans winner with the #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi also lines up on the grid with a front row start, as other names like IMSA's Mathieu Jaminet, WEC's Dries Vanthoor and others also line up for the 100th anniversary edition of the Spa 24 Hours.
REFRESH FOR LIVE UPDATES - Updates are in UK time which is 1 hour behind Spa's local time
SPA 24 HOURS RACE RESULTS - TOP 10
1st #007 Aston Martin
2nd #51 Ferrari
3rd #32 BMW
4th #34 Aston Martin
5th #163 Lamborghini
6th #998 BMW
7th #777 Mercedes
8th #92 Porsche
9th #96 Porsche
10th #66 Audi
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW finished a disappointing 24th place after multiple incidents in the morning.
LIVE: Spa 24 Hours Updates
15:33 - #007 Aston Martin come home to WIN the Spa 24 Hourrs 2024, #51 Ferrari come home for second and the #32 BMW Team WRT take a surprising third place.
15:29 - #998 BMW comes into the pits, they lose second place as the #51 Ferrari now takes second place, with the #32 BMW now on the podium
15:25 - #007 Aston Martin leads with just a handful of laps remaining.
15:18 - #46 BMW currently runs in 24th place being driven by Raffaele Marciello
15:15 - #51 Ferrari being driven by Pier Guidi has been able to catch back up to the podium places, sitting in third and about 20 seconds from the #998 BMW in front
15:06 - #34 Aston Martin has been deemed at fault for the incident at the chicane with the #51 Ferrari. The Ferrari now hunts after the podium places.
15:03 - #51 Ferrari attempted a move into Turn 5 on Pittard's #34 Aston Martin, the pair making contact as the Ferrari cut the chicane.
14:55 - #51 Ferrari lost the lead of the race coming into their final pit stop and have rejoined in sixth place, net running in third
14:53 - #32 BMW now comes in for their final stop in the hunt to secure a podium place.
14:52 - #007 Aston Martin comes in for their final stop and crucially, holds the lead of the race with the #998 BMW chasing.
14:48 - #007 Aston Martin does need to make their final stop as the #998 BMW has been brought right back into contention for the race win
14:44 - #51 Ferrari has LOST the lead of the race, the #007 Aston Martin of Mattia Drudi now seizes control of the Spa 24 Hours with just 45 minutes remaining
14:42 - Leader #51 Ferrari is blocked in the pit lane
14:40 - Running Order
1st #51 Ferrari, Pier Guidi
2nd #007 Aston Martin, Drudi
3rd #32 BMW, Vanthoor
4th #998 BMW, Hesse
5th #66 Audi, Pereira
6th #96 Porsche, Andlauer
9th #163 Lamborghini, Mapelli
10th #159 McLaren, Gamble
14:37 - Green Flag
14:34 - Pit stops for the leaders under the FCY
14:33 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
14:32 - ONE HOUR REMAINING
14:32 - Yellow flags in Sector 1
14:30 - Aurelian Panis #10 Mercedes has come to a stop just before Eau Rouge
14:25 - #51 Ferrari leads from the #007 Aston Martin by just over 10 seconds as we approach the final pit stops and final hour of the race.
14:23 - Hesse #998 BMW is catching the leaders, the team have told him that it is unlikely to catch the leaders before the end of the race.
14:22 - #46 BMW update, Marciello driving the car as the team are still a couple of laps down and sitting in 26th place.
14:17 - Andlauer #96 Porsche comes in for their stop and rejoin in 10th place for the final hour as they will attempt to stretch to the end of the race.
14:13 - Lead gap is now just over 10 seconds as we approach the final pit stops for the leaders.
14:07 - #72 Lamborghini was leading the bronze cup, but has a puncture and is crawling to the pit lane.
14:01 - Pit Lane Closed as it is being blocked by a stationary car
13:53 - #34 Aston Martin comes in for their stop, we are currently finishing up our final couple of pit stops as we will be able to see who holds the lead of the race, and who is a serious contender.
13:50 - #32 BMW leads currently, but does owe a pit stop to the leaders as two of the leading Porsche's begin to battle.
13:36 - The #46 BMW keeps coming into the pits as they have gaffer tape holding down the hood of the car, the team currently running just inside the Top 25.
13:33 - #46 BMW comes in for their stop with Marciello at the wheel.
13:28 - The gap between the Top 3 is now just under 30 seconds, the #51 Ferrari leading the way from the #007 Aston Martin, the #998 BMW struggling to hold pace as we approach the final couple of hours.
13:19 - #46 BMW update, the team are running in 21st place, exactly where the team initially started with a couple of hours left to run, and Raffaele Marciello at the wheel.
13:18 - #51 Ferrari has opened their lead by another few seconds to the #007 Aston Martin, the Ferrari squad appearing as the favourites to win this race with just a few planned pit stops remaining.
13:11 - #51 Ferraro of Rovera leads by 5 seconds to the #007 Aston Martin of Nicki Thiim, and Patric Niederhauser in the #96 Porsche is a further few seconds from the leaders.
13:05 - #46 BMW now comes into the pits once again as the team are currently sitting between 2-3 laps down.
12:59 - Smoke coming out of the rear of the #163 Lamborghini with Jordan Pepper at the wheel
12:55 - #163 Lamborghini of Frank Perera now leads, owing a pit stop with the gap between the #51 Ferrari net race leader and the #007 Aston Martin just a few seconds
12:53 - #21 Aston Martin now comes in for a driver change
12:52 - #92 Porsche DRIVE-THROUGH penalty which has now been served after Mathieu Jaminet went past his driver stint maximum time - they now run in P13 with Matt Campbell at the wheel
12:49 - Update for the #46 BMW, they are currently sitting 19th place and 2 laps down, they will be hoping for a miracle.
12:48 - #32 BMW now pits as traffic hits our net race leaders, they will lost time.
12:47 - Crucially, the #007 Aston Martin has placed a car in between themselves and the #998 BMW - however, the #51 Ferrari now is the net race leader once these pit stops have unfolded.
12:45 - Ross Gunn #34 Aston Martin now leads from the #32 BMW of Sheldon Van Der Linde, however they do owe us a pit stop
12:44 - #007 Aston Martin of Thiim now pits from the lead, followed by Dan Harper in the #998 BMW and Matt Campbell of the #92 Porsche
12:36 - No more rain is expected, it should be dry running for the final 3 hours.
12:30 - Race Update (400 laps completed)
1st #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
2nd #007 Aston Martin, Nicki Thiim
3rd #998 BMW, Dan Harper
4th #92 Porsche, Matt Campbell
5th #99 Audi, Christopher Haase
6th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
7th #32 BMW, Sheldon Van Der Linde
8th #777 Mercedes, Phillip Ellis
9th #77 Mercedes, Arjun Maini
10th #163 Lamborghini, Franck Perera
#46 of Valentino Rossi down in 22nd overall, now a few laps off the lead after the penalty, Maxime Martin driving
12:23 - The lead trio have spaced out from each other a bit now, just over 8 seconds now covering the provisional podium. Order is still #51 from #007 from #998
12:19 - #92 still runs 4th, no word of an investigation or penalty for the earlier driver stint length issue, they may get away with one there
12:16 - Battle now for 5th, 6th and 7th between #99 Audi, #34 Aston Martin and #32 BMW. All three cars within a little over a second
12:11 - #96 finally pits from the lead handing the lead now officially to #51 Ferrari with 3 hours and 20 minutes to go
12:04 - The Pro-Am leader #100 has been in the pits for the last 10 minutes. This almost hands the Pro-Am win over to the #4 Mercedes
11:59 - #3 Mercedes has an off in the final sector but has rejoined
11:58 - Out in front #51 Ferrari is now slowly getting away from the #007 and #998 who are now within a second of each other
11:55 - #46 serves the penalty and uses the opportunity for a pitstop too
11:53 - #46 BMW of Valentino Rossi has been given a 10 second stop and go penalty for an unsafe rejoin, more than likely for the incdient with the #8 Ferrari. Maxime Martin is driving the #46 at the moment
11:50 - Three cars still yet to pit , #163 pole position Lambo, #96 Porsche and the bronze #72 Lambo. Once they pit the #51 #007 and #998 will be back in the podium positions
11:48 - #34 Aston has a problem with the hydraulic jacks during the pit stop which may have hampered their pit stop
11:47 - If #92 does get a penalty, there will be 3-4 cars all in contention for that 4th place which could get interesting towards the end of the race
11:45 - Jaminet finally pits in the #92 after 68 minutes. The maximum stint length is 67 minutes
11:43 - Dan Harper takes over #998 and Nicki Thiim takes over #007, but #51 now driven by Pier Guidi flys past both on the kemmel straight and Thiim gets Harper a few corners later. Top 3 is now #51, #007 and #998
11:41 - #998 and #007 are in the pits but #92 driven by Jaminet stays out past his maximum stint time, a penalty may be on the way to that car
11:37 - #51 Ferrari in the pits now, our lead two expected in within the next couple of laps too
11:35 - #46 BMW still off the lead lap down in 14th overall. Maxime Martin drives at the moment
11:34 - Race Update
1st #998 BMW, Augusto Farfus
2nd #007 Aston Martin, Marco Sorensen
3rd #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
4th #92 Porsche, Mathieu Jaminet
5th #777 Mercedes, Phillip Ellis
6th #32 BMW, Sheldon Van Der Linde
7th #99 Audi, Ricado Feller
8th #34 Aston Martin, David Pittard
9th #77 Mercedes, Arjun Maini
10th #66 Audi, Max Hofer
11:26 - The top 3 plus #46 which is a lap down have already pulled a 10 second gap on the #92 Porsche driven by Mathieu Jaminet, who seems to be struggling at the head of a large train of cars
11:24 - The #5 Mclaren has spun while battling with an Aston Martin. Sam Neary has got the car going again
11:22 - Weather is looking dry and sunny until the end. Marco Mapelli showing us the good conditions by setting a new fastest lap of the race in his #163 Lambo
11:19 - Still the same top 3 battling for the lead, #998 from #007 from #51. Jaminet in the #92 is further back in the queue. The #46, now driven by Maxime Martin has dropped off the lead lap
11:16 - Green Flag
11:14 - Safety Car in this lap
11:11 - Safety Car lights on, cars will bunch up again before we go green
11:03 - The Aston involved is the #35 who had been fighting for honors in silver. The car is now lifted onto the flatbed
11:02 - Valentino tagged the #8 Ferrari who spun into the path of an Aston Martin in the wrong place at the wrong time. #46 pits with damage and the #8 gets out of the gravel with help from the marshalls
11:01 - This is FCY number 21 for the race. The second after a long period of green racing
10:59 - A Ferrari spins across the track taking out an innocent Aston Martin. Valentino Rossi may also have damage. Full Course Yellow
10:56 - #998 leads from #007, with #51 Ferrari in 3rd behind some back markers. Almost disaster for the bronze leaders #66 as he gets sent flying across the runoff at Les Combes
10:55 - Green Flag
10:54 - SC in this lap
10:48 - Wave by begins
10:43 - Safety Car lights on, car will bunch up behind the Lamborghini Safety car before the wave by begins
10:42 - So after the FCY pitstops it's as you were for the top 3, #998 leads from #007 and #51. The bronze leading #66 is in 4th from Mathieu Jaminet's Porsche in 5th, he made use of the FCY to jump the #96 who has fallen to 11th. Both WRT cars have also pit again to reset the offset they had compared to the leaders.
10:37 - Davide Rigon has taken over control of the #51 from Alessio Rovera, meanwhile the leading BMW and Aston Martin also take stops
10:34 - The car lost the rear coming out of Brussels and spun into the wall on the outside of the next corner, this FCY will be followed by a SC and full wave by procedure
10:33 - Leaders will use this as a chance to get a cheap stop, FCY caused by a crash for the bronze #74 Ferrari going into Speakers Corner, driver is OK
10:31 - Full Course Yellow
10:28 - As the #96 comes in for their stop a few minutes early, Rovera has closed up the gap to the #007 in the lead battle as they also approach pit stop time
10:25 - Back to the Porsche battle, Jaminet and Niederhauser go side by side up eau rouge, before the #92 tucks back into the slipstream to go for a move around the outside of Les Combes, but gets forced of the road and has to concede the position. Neiderhauser in the #96 still the lead porsche
10:21 - Rossi brings the #46 car in, he stays in the car and takes some new tyres and fuel
10:19 - While that battle rages on, Rovera in the #51 is still slowly creeping up to the back of the #007 Aston Martin, who in turn is still struggling to put a move on Farfus out front in the #998
10:15 - Jaminet in the #92 tries a move into Les Combes, but Patric Neiderhauser defends well to keep the frenchman behind
10:13 - Another close battle in the top 10 between the #96 and the #92 in 7th and 8th respectively. The gap now under a second
10:09 - As we see our first few rays of sunshine, the #007 has closed on our leader and is now trying to find a way pass, Rovera in the #51 is now catching these two while the WRT BMW's #32 and #46 have dropped back slightly
10:06 - Race Update
1st #998 BMW, Augusto Farfus
2nd #007 Aston Martin, Marco Sorenson
3rd #51 Ferrari, Alessio Rovera
4th #32 BMW, Charles Weerts
5th #46 BMW, Valentino Rossi
6th #66 Audi, Max Hofer
7th #96 Porsche, Patric Niederhauser
8th #92 Porsche, Mathieu Jaminet
9th #777 Mercedes, Dominic Baumann
10th #99 Audi, Ricardo Feller
09:55 - Despite all eyes being on the overall leaders there are other class battles going on. The #66 Audi leads bronze from a very respectable 7th place overall. In gold the #777 Mercedes leads from 10th overall. There's a battle for the lead in Silver but the #3 Mercedes leads at the moment. And finallly in Pro-Am the #100 Mclaren driven by Jann Mardenborough leads
09:50 - Chaves has been told by his team to keep the BMW behind, he's due for a pit in 5 laps. Is there some teamwork going on between the two Astons as the #007 chases down the leading two
09:46 - Farfus in the #998 has caught up to the #34 Aston now and is looking to make the pass on track. Henrique Chaves is due to bring the #34 into the pits within the next 10 minutes
09:40 - Rovera in the #51 and Sorenson in the #007 now battle for 3rd on the road as the #998 comes out in front of them. Chaves leads in the #34 Aston leads but that car is out of pit stop sequence
09:37 - The leading #998 BMW is in now for its service, Augusto Farfus to take over from Max Hesse, as Sorenson brings the Aston Martin out of the pits ahead of the #51 and both WRT's who swap positions, #32 ahead of #46
09:35 - The #51 has jumped the #46 BMW in the pitstops, he leadsthe trio of leaders who pit sit 8th, 9th and 10th as Mattia Drudi brings the #007 in. Marco Sorenson jumps aboard
09:33 - A sigh of relief from many drivers and teams in the pit lane as the track limits warnings get reset to 0 for the final quarter of the race
09:30 - #51 Ferrari is brought in now by Alessio Rovera, he will stay aboard the car
09:26 - With both WRT BMW's having pit, it will be interesting to see if they can gain time on the other leaders when they make their pitstops eventually
09:21 - Weerts brings the other #32 WRT BMW in for its stop now too, expect the other leaders in soon too
09:18 - Marciello brings in the #46 BMW for its scheduled stop, Valentino Rossi will take over the car, Rovera in the #51 jumps to second and Drudi in the #007 up to third
09:16 - With Drudi in the #007 Aston just another second back in 4th and Weerts in the other #32 WRT BMW not too far behind either, this is shaping up to be a cracking battle for the lead
09:14 - Just over two seconds covering the top 3 now. Any mistakes or traffic in the wrong place could be crucial for any of these cars
09:00 - Race Update
1st #46 BMW, Raffele Marciello
2nd #998 BMW, Max Hesse
3rd #51 Ferrari, Alessio Rovera
4th #7 Aston Martin, Mattia Drudi
5th #96 Porsche, Patric Niederhauser
08:58 - #7 of Aston Martin caught in a tight 5 car overtaking battle, fighting for third place.
08:56 - Green flag
08:54 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
08:52 - #76 of Lamborghini stuck on the gravel - another FCY arrived.
08:50 - #51 of Ferrari temporarily loses grip on the Eau Rouge.
08:48 - Light rain arrived on the track as the battle for third place continues,
08:39 - Green flag
08:33 - #34 of Aston Martin is now the leader. Three BMWs in a row as #46 , #32 and #998 takes up second to fourth places.
08:27 - Very light moist on sector 2, while sector 1 and 3 is reported to be clear with no signs of rain.
08:25 - Several cars headed for pitstops once more, including #51 of Ferrari for slicks.
08:18 - Joel Strum heads into the medical car for medical checkup, as his #911 Porsche retired.
08:16 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
08:15 - #911 of Porsche goes off into the gravel on high speed with the car ended up flipped and a wheel detached- triggering a FCY.
08:11 - #99 of Audi receives a drive through penalty for driving stint violations.
08:10 - Another overtaking battle takes place, this time between the BMWs of #46 and #32 , with #46 managed to secure fourth place.
08:08 - #52 Ferrari of Pier Guidi overtakes #46 BMW of Marciello for third place, made a slight contact with each other.
08:07 - Green flag
08:05 - Safety car in this lap
08:00 - Race Update
1st #998 BMW, Max Hesse
2nd #911 Porsche, Joel Sturm
3rd #46 BMW, Raffele Marciello
4th #52 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
5th #32 BMW, Dries Vanthoor
07:59 - Rain is predicted to arrive soon.
07:57 - Wave by completed as cars continue to warm up their tyres.
07:56 - Temperatures on the track dropped as the wave by is underway.
07:50 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
07:50 - Pit entry is closed as Safety Car period begins.
07:43 - #25 of Audi loses control and slightly spun on the track, before managed to continue the race.
07:41 - Another driver change with #46 of BMW, now driven by Raffele Marciello.
07:40 - #998 of BMW undergoes driver change as Dan Harper swapped seats with Max Hesse, retaining the lead.
07:38 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
07:37 - #30 of BMW started to slow down before coming to a standstill - triggering an FCY.
07:36 - #998 BMW of Dan Harper regains the lead after a while, followed by #911 of Porsche and #46 BMW of Maxime Martin now in third place.
07:27 - Several drivers headed for a pit stop for slicks, including both Team WRTs.
07:10 - Race Update
1st #911 Porsche, Klaus Bachler
2nd #163 Lamborghini, Jordan Pepper
3rd #46 BMW, Raffele Marciello
4th #32 BMW, Dries Vanthoor
5th #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
06:59 - #2 GetSpeed Mercedes is wheeled into the garage
06:50 - Coming time again that the leaders are due another pitstop in the next few minutes
06:43 - Meanwhile, both of those cars are catching Franck Perera in the #163 for second place
06:40 - The battle for 3rd begins to heat up as Dries Vanthoor in the #32 closes the gap on Maxime Martin in the #46 to 5 seconds
06:30 - The marshalls have cleared both car and tyre without the need for another FCY
06:28 - The left rear has fallen of the #188 as the car stops in the pit lane and the tyre roams across the track
06:25 - #66 Audi takes a detour through the gravel at turn 12 but rejoins under its own steam
06:15 - Rain continues to fall as Klaus Bachler grows his lead over the #163
06:13 - #72 gets a 10 second time penalty for causing a collision
06:04 - #158 Mclaren has an off at Turn 1 but uses the escape road to rejoin unscathed
06:00 - Race Update
1st #998 BMW, Augusto Farfus
2nd #96 Porsche, Julian Andlauer
3rd #25 Audi, Jim Pla
4th #163 Lamborghini, Franck Perera
5th #911 Porsche, Klaus Bachler
05:52 - The #130 Mercedes of Ralf Aron gets rolled into the garage with some sort of apparent issue
05:46 - Most of the front runners are due in for stops in the next few minutes
05:41 - #163 GRT Lamborghini polesitting car has worked its way back to 2nd after struggles early in the night
05:26 - #21 Aston has a small off but comes back on after brief localised yellows
05:23 - #32 BMW leads then as we see some battling for the lower positions in the top 10
05:10 - #35 receives a 10 second penalty for speeding in pitlane
05:07 - Green flag after another SC
04:29 - Sunrise will arrive soon, with track conditions appear misty as the track dries up.
04:20 - Green flag
04:17 - Safety car in this lap
04:13 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
04:13 - Dawn arriving soon as #52 of Ferrari is currently in the lead, with Audis of #99 and #66 dropped to second and third.
04:06 - End of the race for #48 of Mercedes after several mechanical issues happening throughout the race.
04:02 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
04:02 - #48 of Mercedes stuck at the side of the track after got into contact with #52 of Ferrari, triggering a Full Course Yellow.
04:00 - The Audis of Haase and Hofer taking up first and third spot in the standings, with #52 Ferrari of Mosca in between in second place.
03:55 - Close call! #2 of Mercedes temporarily stopped the car on track, before continuing the race few seconds later.
03:53 -#32 of Mercedes is under investigation for speed under Full Course Yellow.
03:52 - Green flag
03:49 - Safety car in this lap
03:47 - As the track slowly turned dry, drivers took the opportunity to warm up their tyres.
03:44 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
03:38 - With less than 12 hours remaining, there will be zero track limit warnings for the drivers. Currently, #99 of Audi is leading the race. as #46 of Rossi now up to 10th place.
03:30 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10 Running order
1st #99 Audi, Christopher Haase
2nd #52 Ferrari, Tommaso Mosca
3rd #66 Audi, Max Hofer
4th #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
5th #32 Aston Martin, Lorcan Hanafin
6th #7 Lamborghini, Casper Stevenson
7th #2 Mercedes, Tanart Sathienthirakul
8th #911 Lamborghini, Eddie Cheever III
9th #163 Mercedes, James Kell
10th #9 Porsche, Axel Blom
03:29 - Several cars headed for a pitstop for driver changes as race approaches the halfway stage.
03:26 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
03:26 - #49 of Ferrari is stuck in the gravel - another FCY ensues.
03:19 - #92 of Porsche is in the lead, with #68 of Audi chasing behind. #46 of Rossi has moved up to 13th place.
03:11 - #66 of Audi is now in the lead, followed by sister #99 of Audi in second, and Tommaso Mosca in #52 of Ferrari round up the top 3.
03:02 - The race now approaches the halfway point, after 13 Full Course Yellows, as well as 10 Safety Cars leading. Excellent performance by Charles Weerts in his #32 BMW as he remains as the leader.
02:53 - Track is slowly drying up, with 12 hours and 37 mins remaining. #32 of Mercedes is still in the lead, with Audis of #66 and #99 catching up. #46 of BMW, driven by Valentino Rossi has dropped into 18th.
02:42 - Incredible lead for #32 of Mercedes despite under wet and slippery track conditions. Meanwhile, with Rossi taking over #46 of BMW, currently sits in 17th place.
02:37 - Rain has slowly subsided, as the track remains wet and misty. It is currently #2 of Mercedes' turn to go head-to-head with leader #32 of Mercedes, but #32 of Mercedes still retains the lead.
02:30 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10 Running order
1st #32 BMW, Charles Weerts
2nd #68 Audi, Dylan Pereira
3rd #99 Audi, Christopher Haase
4th #52 Ferrari, Tommaso Mosca
5th #35 Aston Martin, Lorcan Hanafin
6th #72 Lamborghini, Casper Stevenson
7th #57 Mercedes, Tanart Sathienthirakul
8th #93 Ferrari, Eddie Cheever III
9th #3 Mercedes, James Kell
10th #55 Porsche, Axel Blom
02:27 - #48 Mercedes of Daniel Morad receives a penalty for pit lane infringement.
02:25 - Several cars headed for another pitstop, this time for wet tyres as rain increased.
02:21 - FCY for a few seconds, before going back to GREEN FLAG.
02:20 - Light rain has arrived, more prominent at the bottom end of the track, near the Campus corner.
02:18 - GREEN FLAG
02:15 - Safety car in this lap
02:11 - Nearly the entire grid headed for a pitstop for slick tyres.
02:09 - #35 of Aston Martin currently under investigation for speeding in the pitlane.
02:06 - With the current dry track conditions, a few cars prepared in advance as they pitted for slick tyres.
02:01 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
02:00 - #90 of Aston Martin loses control and spun into the gravel - triggering another FCY.
01:51 - Unfortunate second left rear puncture for #48 of Mercedes.
01:49 - #998 of BMW receives a drive through penalty for pitlane exit infringement during red light.
01:45 - GREEN FLAG
01:38 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
01:37 - Current track conditions are misty, and the track slowly dried up.
01:30 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10 Running order
1st #92 Porsche, Mathieu Jaminet
2nd #2 Mercedes, Luca Stolz
3rd #911 Porsche, Klaus Bachler
4th #998 BMW, Max Hesse
5th #46 BMW, Raffaele Marciello
6th #48 Mercedes, Daniel Morad
7th #32 BMW, Charles Weerts
8th #35 Aston Martin, Romain Leroux
9th #163 Lamborghini, Marco Mapelli
10th #10 Mercedes, Sebastien Baud
01:27 - With the possibility of rain to return, several cars headed for a pit stop for refuelling and tyre changes under Full Course Yellow.
01:24 - #92 of Porsche is in the lead, with #2 of Mercedes closely following behind, leaving a really small gap between the two cars.
01:20 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
01:17 - #88 Audi of van Berlo ended up stuck in the gravel whilst engine still running.
01:10 - Rain is predicted to arrive again in around 2 hours, while #998 of BMW currently driven by Max Hesse.
01:03- Rain has subsided, with some parts of the track still slightly wet.
00:55 - #23 Erikkson in fifth place, currently 5.2 seconds behind leader #998 of BMW, before quickly reclaiming third, maintaining his spot at the top 3.
00:52 - #998 BMW of Dan Harper currently in the lead, with Porsches of Eriksson, #23, and Bachler, #911, in second and third respectively.
00:49 - Drive through Penalty for #46 of Valentino Rossi for causing a collision in daylight.
00:46 - After 1 hour and 45 minutes of Safety car conditions - Green Flag.
00:44 - After increasing speed, the final Safety car has been pitted, showing signs of the end of the Safety car period.
00:36 - Rain has been even for the last hour, with some parts of the track has been dry.
00:30 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10 Running order
1st #23 Porsche, Joel Eriksson
2nd #998 BMW, Dan Harper
3rd #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
4th #48 Mercedes, Maro Engel
5th #93 Ferrari, Jonathan Hui
6th #28 Audi, Simon Gachet
7th #32 BMW, Charles Weerts
8th #777 Mercedes, Al Faisal Al Zubair
9th #25 Audi, Paul Evrard
10th #9 Mercedes, Ulysse de Pauw
00:26 - Rain reportedly might be decreasing in the next hour.
00:23 - Engine change for the #91 Porsche.
00:15 - #34 Aston Martin has been in and out of the lead, while #35 Aston Martin of Leroux takes over from Robin.
00:13 - Drivers reportedly had struggled with warming up their tyres whilst under Safety car conditions.
00:03 - Safety car period has been resuming for nearly 2 hours, with several cars headed for a pit stop.
23:57 - Valentino Rossi and the #46 BMW crew currently run in P13 with pit stops shaking up the order a lot, we are still waiting for strategies to begin to unwind, as we approach the heavy stages of night time running.
23:52 - Safety Car conditions for the last few hours or so, with cars coming in for yet another pit stop.
23:43 - Drivers reporting that it is unsafe to drive either side of the kemmel straight, wanting to drive in the centre of the circuit, and that Eau Rouge is flooded.
23:41 - Cars have come into the pit lane for yet another stop as we approach our third hour behind the FCY/Safety Car
23:36 - BLACK and ORANGE FLAG #99 Audi NO RAIN LIGHTS
23:32 - 1/3 Distance completed
23:31 - Rain now falling harder
23:30 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10 Running order
1st #34 Aston Martin, David Pittard
2nd #28 Audi, Simon Gachet
3rd #32 BMW, Dries Vanthoor
4th #9 Mercedes, De Pauw
5th #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
6th #90 Mercedes, Alain Valente
7th #99 Audi, Ricardo Feller
8th #66 Audi, Alexey Nesov
9th #48 Mercedes, Maro Engel
10th #55 Porsche, Marius, Nakken
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW is currently running 23rd after some difficult strategy choices and bad luck, with the entie field currently on split strategies, we are waiting for the race to unfold so it will be easier to read. Maxime Martin drives the #46 BMW currently.
23:22 - What are you doing to pass the time under Safety Car conditions? let us know in the comments!
23:19 - Another hour of rain is expected
23:18 - Cars are now queueing at the pit exit as they wait for the red light to turn green
23:17 - Leaders are now all coming in to serve another pit stop.
23:17 - Rain is lessening and easing - However there is a lot of standing water
23:16 - #46 BMW of Rossi is currently being driven by Maxime Martin, they are running in 7th place as we await to see pit stop strategies unfold with fuel and tyres.
23:12 - #64 Ford Mustang of Frederic Vervisch have been given a penalty for short-fuelling, they currently run in 40th place as the only Ford
23:09 - More cars are now coming into the pit lane as the weather is not letting up
23:06 - Weather is NOT expected to improve for another HOUR
23:04 - UPDATE for those who are just tuning in
Rain Has fallen HEAVILY and parts of the circuit like Eau Rouge are nearly flooded at the bottom
Multiple cars have spun or crashed off
We've been under Full Course Yellow/Safety Car running for nearly 2 hours
Valentino Rossi went from 21st to the Lead of the race within the first 1/4 of the race, but a tyre strategy blunder has left them in 12th place.
23:00 - Most drivers now making their second stop of this FCY period
23:00 - 8th Safety Car, 11 Full Course Yellows
22:53 - #51 Ferrari of Rigon now pits for a tyre change and a driver swap from 10th place
22:49 - #46 BMW of Maxime Martin is on wet tyres and is running in 14th place
22:47 - Lightning strike fork now spotted as rain is falling heavier and heavier
22:45 - Safety Car will be staying out
22:44 - Lightning strike as cars are about to get back racing
22:43 - Many drivers are not happy about this potential restart, Eau Rouge forming puddles at the bottom of the sequence of corners
22:41 - Luca Stolz of the #2 Mercedes has claimed that "it is impossible to race in these conditions"
22:39 - Safety Car now given another lap
22:38 - SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
22:37 - A lot of standing water falling down from the first corner all the way down to Eau Rouge, puddles are forming and aquaplaning is likely if we do run at full speed.
22:34 - Unlapping procedures are now starting
22:33 - HOURLY UPDATE - Top 10
1st #911 Porsche, Joel Sturm
2nd #9 Mercedes, Max Gotz
3rd #130 Mercedes, Dani Juncadella
4th #60 Mercedes, Frank Bird
5th #32 BMW, Dries Vanthoor
6th #99 Audi, Ricardo Feller
7th #34 Aston Martin, David Pittard
8th #2 Mercedes, Luca Stolz
9th #7 Aston Martin, Nicki Thiim
10th #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW currently runs in 15th with Maxime Martin at the wheel with 17 hours still remaining, this is going to be a thoroughly long and entertaining race that has already seen the #46 go from 21st on the grid, to leading the race and now back down to 15th.
22:26 - Rain now falling extremely heavy, rain is looking like it will remain falling for a while.
22:23 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
22:19 - #46 BMW Update, the previous leaders of the race about two hours ago are now sitting in 15th place. Maxime Martin has taken over from Valentino Rossi.
22:17 - Tractors are now clearing the standing water on and off the racing line as we await to go racing again, however as the saying goes "Safety Cars breed Safety Cars" it's not looking particularly good
22:15 - Red Flag fears amongst the community online as the rain is falling exceptionally hard.
22:11 - Most of the field are now pitting once again for the wet tyres.
22:10 - Rain falling the hardest it has done this entire race as visibility is now incredibly limited
22:09 - Leaders pit under FCY as the rain gets even heavier
22:07 - A car is in the gravel which is why we have this FCY
22:06 - Valentino Rossi #46 BMW is now up to 12th place
22:05 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
22:01 - Valentino Rossi is now back up to 14th after a sincerely costly few mistakes, with just under 18 hours to run, the race is far, far from over.
21:59 - #163 Lamborghini now leads the way for the first time since the very opening hour of the race.
21:58 - Drivers are now lifting heavily on the flat out corners at Blanchimont and Eau Rouge as tyre grip really is fluctuating between being favourable to the slicks and wets, there is no correct tyre choice
21:55 - #998 BMW of Augusto Farfus comes in for their stop now, running third place and moving back onto the slick tyres whilst rain is now falling.
21:53 - Nicki Thiim #7 Aston Martin has come in for their pit stop after leading the race
21:52 - Update on the #888 Aston Martin who flipped the car on its roof at Eau Rouge, the driver is ok.
21:47 - #48 Mercedes of Lucas Auer runs off the road as heavier rain falls.
21:47 - HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED in 10 Minutes
21:45 - RUNNING ORDER
1st #7 Aston Martin, Marco Sorensen
2nd #9 Mercedes, Max Gotz
3rd #911 Porsche Klaus Bachler
4th #99 Audi, Ricardo Feller
5th #130 Mercedes, Dani Juncadella
6th #998 BMW, Augusto Farfus
7th #93 Chris Froggart
8th #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
9th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
10th #48 Mercedes, Lucas Auer
Valentino Rossi and the #46 BMW team have made a lot of errors, Rossi running into the side of the #51 Ferrari and losing a few places, before some major tyre strategy blunders have put them 24th, a real shame after initially running 1st place just over an hour ago.
21:43 - #93 Ferrari seems to have worn the tyres as they now begin to slow down
21:34 - #93 Ferrari now closing on the slick tyre runners every single corner as the bronze cup car is about to take the lead of the race
21:32 - Track limit penalties RESET, 6 Hours run
21:30 - Chris Froggart #93 Ferrari runs wide under wet conditions
21:30 - GREEN FLAG
21:27 - #2 Mercedes now moves to wet tyres.
21:26 - SAFETY CAR IN THIS LAP
21:24 - #32 BMW now comes in and fits the wet tyres, where the teammates #46 BMW have just changed onto the slicks.
21:23 - #992 Porsche of Kevin Estre has officially been retired from the race
21:19 - Drivers coming in and moving onto the slick tyres as we are ready to go racing again in the next few minutes.
21:19 - A car has been seen upside down after a collision with a barrier, in the dark it is difficult to see, but it looks like an Aston Martin.
21:17 - Rossi #46 BMW coming in for an extra pit stop now drops the team to well outside the Top 20, they are right back to where they were at the beginning of the race, after leading the race just one hour ago.
21:15 - Valentino Rossi has come back into the pit lane for slick tyres, moving from the wets.
21:10 - Rain now falling harder on the back half of the circuit, those on slick tyres behind the Safety Car are losing tyre grip and tyre temperature before the restart
21:08 - Confusion as the wave-by process proceeds, drivers stopped at the apex of Eau Rouge as the rain seems to be easing.
21:06 - As darkness falls around the circuit, the drivers have settled into a bit of a lull in this race with rain continuing to fall.
20:59 - The Germany vs Denmark football match has been delayed due to weather over in Germany - with the rain expected to come over to Belgium, thunderstorms are forecast for later into this race.
20:56 - #2 Mercedes has fitted the SLICK tyres whilst rain is falling
20:55 - #2 Mercedes leads the way with Luca Stolz about to get into the car, taking over from Jules Gounon.
20:54 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
20:51 - Valentino Rossi #46 BMW has switched to wet tyres as the field mixes tyre strategies.
20:48 - Wet tyres are being prepared by the AF Corse Ferrari squad
20:45 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
20:44 - #88 Audi is beached in the gravel, the track becoming much wetter as drivers begin to make a few mistakes.
20:38 - Valentino Rossi #46 has gone into the side of the #51 Ferrari of Rigon, sending the Ferrari around.
20:36 - #51 Ferrari Rigon now overtakes the #46 BMW of Rossi, who is seriously struggling with the darker and wetter conditions.
20:35 - Heavier rain falling
20:31 - Valentino Rossi now overtaken by the #7 Aston Martin for the lead of the race, as the #2 Mercedes of Jules Gounon eyes taking second place away from Rossi.
20:30 - HOURLY UPDATE, Running order Top 10
1st #46 BMW, Valentino Rossi
2nd #7 Aston Martin, Marco Sorensen
3rd #2 Mercedes, Jules Gounon
4th #32 BMW, Sheldon Van Der Linde
5th #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
6th #9 Mercedes, Max Gotz
7th #777 Mercedes, Philip Ellis
8th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
9th #25 Audi, Paul Evrard
10th #99 Audi, Christopher Haase
Valentino Rossi leads the field at the top of the hour, with the others right up behind him.
20:21 - 100 LAPS COMPLETED, Rossi Leads
20:20 - #188 McLaren exiting the pit lane after a lengthy pit stop for a broken brake disc
20:16 - Sorensen #7 Aston Martin currently has a lapped car in between himself and Valentino Rossi, the gap between the pair is over a second
20:15 - VALENTINO ROSSI #46 LEADS THE SPA 24 HOURS
20:14 - Rain is coming in 20 minutes, heavy rain scheduled in under an hour
20:11 - Valentino Rossi #46 BMW has been able to get past the lapped traffic and now has a straight run at the #188 Bronze cup leader, who is currently the overall race leader.
20:11 - GREEN FLAG
20:07 - Safety Car in this lap
20:05 - Valentino Rossi is in the #46 BMW and will LEAD the Spa 24 Hours after starting from 21st position
20:00 - Safety Car Procedure begins
19:59 - The #188 Mclaren has stayed out once again to take over the lead of the race, Adam Smalley drives that car at the moment
19:56 - After pitstops for many of the cars, Valentino Rossi takes over the leading #46 and Marco Sorenson takes over the #007 Aston Martin
19:53 - Back to the current FCY, as we see the #96 in the garage after the incident at Turn 1 which brought out this caution
19:50 - We finally see the scary pictures of the earlier incident that caused the FCY at 19:12, as the stationary #333 Ferrari gets collected by a Porsche moving at full speed before the car catches fire as it hits the pit wall. No news as to the drivers conditions but we all hope for good news
19:47 - The #92 Porsche has stopped on the exit of turn one after contact with the #96 driven by Sven Muller who tried a move down the inside
19:46 - Full Course Yellow
19:44 - Very quick FCY, as the #992 gets moving again. Maricello in the #46 gets a good restart and jumps past Drudi in the #007 Aston for the lead of the race
19:41 - The #992 of Patick Pilet has stopped at the top of Eau Rouge as it looks like a suspension failure. The Porsche squad continues to have a horrid weekend after having to completely rebuild the car yesterday
19:40 - As the light drizzle continues to fall the top group seem to be pulling away. Maricello in the #46 chases Drudi in the #007 for the lead of the race
19:36 - Green Flag
19:34 - The incident looks to have been cleared and the cars are now using the full track instead of being lead through the pit lane
19:30 - Hourly Update
1st #007 Aston Martin, Mattia Drudi
2nd #46 BMW, Raffele Marciello
3rd #9 Mercedes, Thomas Drouet
4th #32 BMW, Chalres Weerts
5th #57 Mercedes, Daan Arrow
6th #51 Ferarri, Alessio Rovera
7th #2 Mercedes, Joules Gounon
8th #777 Mercedes, Al Faisal Al Zubair
9th #130 Mercedes, Frederik Vesti
10th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
Valentino Rossi's #46 sits in 2nd driven currently by Raffele Marciello
19:22 - Looks like the end of the race for the #54 Dinamic Porsche as they wheel the car into the garage
19:20 - Seemingly there has been a multi-car collision Eau Rouge, however still no pictures of the incident
19:17 - Safety Car procedure begins, and will be brought though the pitlane
19:16 - This FCY is good for the cars out of sequence, namely the #188 bronze Mclaren and the #22 Porsche who lead the race after the last FCY
19:14 - There appears to have been and incident as there are recovery vehicles on track, still unsure of the reason for the caution however
19:12 - Full Course Yellow
19:10 - The #46 overtakes the #9 for 3rd on the road and virtual 2nd place once the #22 Porsche pits
19:09 - The #188 and #22 still need to pit leaving the #007 of Mattia Drudi in the virtual lead of the race from the #9 Mercedes of Thomas Drouet and the #46 of Raffelle Marciello, the previous leader, the #51 Ferrari has dropped to the lower end of the top 10 due to a longer pitstop
19:06 - Green Flag
19:05 - Safety Car in this lap
19:04 - Looks like the #26 Audi is heading back out onto the circuit after a lengthy period in the pits for repairs on the front of the car
19:02 - Safety Car procedure underway
18:56 - Heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms expected into the night hours, as the leading group come in for their pitstops
18:54 - Many cars into the pit lane under FCY as the skys darken and light fades from the circuit
18:51 - The #3 Mercedes driven by James Kell is under investigation for the incident with the #78 Lamborghini
18:50 - This should be quite a short FCY as the #78 gets pulled out of the gravel, and the race director announces there will be no wave-by
18:48 - The #78 Lamborghini is in the gravel at Turn 12, as the Full Course Yellow is brought out once again
18:47 - The fan favourite #46 Valentino Rossi car currently driven by Maxime Martin is sitting in 12th place
18:45 - As we go back to green flag racing the #63 Lamborghini is rolled into the garage for repairs after the bonnet flew off and liquid leaking from the car. The #98 BMW of Phillip Eng also has been rolled into the garage
18:43 - Green Flag
18:43 - Hourly Update
1st #51 Ferrari, Alessio Rovera
2nd #2 Mercedes, Fabian Schiller
3rd #7 Aston Martin, Mattia Drudi
4th #25 Audi, Jim Pla
5th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
6th #88 Audi, Lorenzo Patrese
7th #9 Mercedes, Thomas Drouet
8th #71 Ferrari, Thomas Neubauer
9th #96 Porsche, Sven Muller
10th #998 BMW, Max Hesse
18:37 - Very hectic restart, with multiple incidents at different parts of the track with many cars off. The #77 Mercedes has to be lifted from the gravel using the flatbed crane, as the #26 Audi is backed into the garage
18:36 - Full Course Yellow
18:34 - Mattia Drudi in the #007 audi sends one down the inside of the #25 Audi at the restart, as the hood flys off the #63 Lamborghini and more cars are in the gravel, including #26 Audi, #16 Mercedes and #158 McLaren all have punctures. #92 Porsche and a Mercedes in the gravel too
18:33 - Green Flag
18:32 - #163 Lamborghini of Marco Mapelli into the pits after only half an hours stint, could be a refuelling problem for the pole sitters
18:30 - Safety Car in this lap
18:27 - Track Declared Wet By Race Director
18:26 - As the wave-by commences, light rain is being reported at parts of the track. Some cars choosing to turn the wipers on already
18:19 - Race Director calls the Safety Car procedure, meaning once the pack is bunched up, the wave-by will commence before we go back to green flag racing
18:14 - Slow stop for the #88 Audi of Lorenzo Patrese, a problem on the front tyres means the car drops a few positions in the order
18:10 - The race leading #51 Ferrari takes the FCY as an opportunity for a pitstop along with a group of other cars behind
18:05 - #38 Haas RT Audi is buried in the gravel in Sector 2 bringing out the Full Course Yellow
17:58 - Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW update After a long time fighting for the Top 20 places, not making much progress through the field at all, the #46 BMW are now running in 18th place, driven by Raffaele Marciello
17:57 - GREEN FLAG
17:56 - FULL COURSE YELLOW - Bollard replacement
17:51 - Alessandro Pier Guidi (2023 Le Mans 24 Hours winner) currently leads with the #51 Ferrari, holding a 10 second lead to the #2 Mercedes of Fabian Schiller
17:47 - Big debris on the circuit at Turn 1
17:45 - Maro Engel's #48 Mercedes now makes a move on the #23 Porsche for 12th place, the #48 Mercedes recovering a place after their puncture from the lead about an hour ago
17:44 - #158 McLaren has spun at Turn 6 after the kemmel straight, bringing the yellows out before rejoining the track
17:43 - #88 Audi of Lorenzo Patrese has overtaken the #25 Audi of Ugo De Wilde for third place on the circuit.
17:40 - #991 BMW DRIVE-THROUGH PENALTY For causing a collision
17:38 - #48 Mercedes dives to the inside at Turn 1 on the #63 Lamborghini, running the Lamborghini wide as the #998 of Dan Harper now overtakes the Lamborghini for 14th
17:37 - #163 Lamborghini makes a pivotal overtake on the sister #63 Lamborghini for 10th place, pit stops have split the strategies.
17:30 - HOURLY UPDATE
1st #51 Ferrari, Alessandro Pier Guidi
2nd #2 Mercedes, Fabian Schiller
3rd #25 Audi, Ugo De Wilde
4th #88 Audi, Lorenzo Patrese
5th #34 Aston Martin, Ross Gunn
6th #9 Mercedes, Ulysse De Pauw
7th #71 Ferrari, David Vidales
8th #7 Aston Martin, Mattia Drudi
9th #777 Mercedes, Al Zubair Al Faisal
10th #63 Lamborghini, Andrea Caldarelli
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW currently sits in 22nd place, currently driven by Raffaele Marciello
17:26 - Huge chunk of Debris has been spotted on the run into the bus stop chicane
17:24 - Ex-Race leaders #48 Mercedes now sit in 13th place after their unfortunate puncture after running over debris
17:22 - Marciello now drives the #46 BMW which currently sits in 26th place as we await more pit stops. Lorenzo Patrese is now also driving, Lorenzo is Ex-F1 driver Ricardo Patrese's son
17:19 - #21 Aston Martin has made contact somewhere with another car, a slow stop and front end damage implies another car is limping on with some amount of damage and potential debris out on circuit.
17:17 - #99 Audi being investigated for overtaking off-circuit
17:17 - #52 Ferrari - DRIVE-THROUGH Penalty
17:16 - Leader in the pit lane, the #51 Ferrari coming in for their stop just shy of the hourly mark, as most teams expected and planned to have 23-24 pit stops
17:15 - #54 Porsche runs wide at Turn 8, over the gravel and kicking up a lot of gravel onto the circuit.
17:14 - Andlauer and Ricardo Feller battle for P11 as other drivers have come in for their stop. With the Safety Car in the first hour, pit stop strategies are currently split among the field
17:06 - Lapped traffic is now starting to have a big affect on the field, with the #163 Lamborghini able to catch right up to the rear bumper of the #2 Mercedes.
17:04 - Jordan Pepper's #163 Lamborghini is closing for second on the #2 Mercedes of Luca Stolz, the gap is less than a second.
16:59 - LEAD CHANGE, as the #48 Mercedes has a puncture, the #51 Ferrari of Davide Rigon seizes the lead of the Spa 24 Hours with 90 minutes gone
16:59 - RACE LEADER has a puncture, the #48 Mercedes of Lucas Auer has lost his 5-second lead, and now sits just inside the Top 10, losing a lot of time
16:58 - #163 Lamborghini currently running fourth is chasing the #2 Mercedes of Luca Stolz for third place.
16:56 - #54 Porsche has been spun around at the bus stop chicane to bring out the yellow flags, the car has been restarted and continues, but debris is now at the bus stop chicane.
16:55 - Rain is coming over the next few hours
16:54 - Ahmad Al-Harthy's #50 BMW has picked up a puncture, dropping the WEC driver's BMW right to the back of the grid as Al-Harthy has to come in for a pit stop.
16:51 - #26 Audi dives down the inside of the #333 Ferrari into Turn 1 as the #159 McLaren of Garage 59 now also manages to get through, as the Ferrari struggles
16:47 - The Mercedes cars appear to have incredible early race pace, favouring the straights and carrying incredible speed throughout the circuit, with the Ferrari's seemingly preferring the tighter and twistier parts of the circuit, able to ride the kerbs as well.
16:40 - #48 Mercedes extends their lead to the #51 Ferrari of Davide Rigon, the gap is 2.5 seconds, with the other leaders a further few seconds behind
16:37 - #46 BMW has now been overtaken by the #22 Porsche for 22nd, the highest placed BMW is currently running 19th - BMW struggling in the first hour
16:36 - HOURLY update
1st #48 Mercedes, Lucas Auer
2nd #51 Ferrari, Davide Rigon
3rd #2 Mercedes, Luca Stolz
4th #163 Lamborghini, Frank Perera
5th #25 Audi, Gilles Magnus
6th #88 Audi, Berlo Glenn
7th #9 Mercedes, Thomas Drouet
8th #77 Mercedes, Arjun Maini
9th #777 Mercedes, Dominik Baumann
10th #7 Aston Martin, Nicki Thiim
Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW currently sits in 22nd place, driven by Maxime Martin
16:30 - #51 Ferrari chases the #48 Mercedes that leads, the gap between them is just over ONE second
16:28 - 4-WIDE down the kemmel straight, as Andlauer #96 Porsche overtakes several cars for 17th place
16:27 - #88 Audi goes airborne at Eau Rouge, clipping the kerb as the car hops and jumps over it
16:25 - #48 Mercedes leads and makes an excellent restart, with the #51 Ferrari of Davide Rigon and #2 Mercedes of Luca Stolz chasing
16:24 - GREEN FLAG
16:22 - Safety Car is coming in this lap
16:19 - SAFETY CAR DEPLOYED
16:14 - #48 Mercedes JUST beats the #163 Lamborghini out of the pit lane, the Mercedes leads this race
16:14 - #55 Porsche is being investigated for speeding in the pit lane, among a plethora of other cars.
16:12 - Still under the Full Course Yellow, the race may get its' first Safety Car soon
16:07 - Leaders are pitting under the FCY
16:06 - #52 Ferrari and the #97 Porsche made contact, sending the Porsche into the gravel and giving us the first FCY
16:05 - FULL COURSE YELLOW
16:05 - #97 Porsche has spun out and into the gravel - Yellow Flag
16:04 - Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW is currently being driven by Maxime Martin, they sit in 22nd place as they look to make a safe opening stint and get settled into the race without damage
16:02 - #10 Mercedes runs wide into the bus stop, losing a lot of places as the #159 McLaren overtakes them for 34th place.
15:56 - LEAD CHANGE #48 Mercedes of Lucas Auer overtakes the #163 Lamborghini of Perera into the bus stop chicane
15:50 - The field is currently in a limbo state, the cars are all slipstreaming one another and drafting, but unable to make much progress as we await certain cars to become "the cork in the bottle"
15:48 - #98 Rowe Racing BMW were the winning team last season, currently running in 13th place behind the #998 BMW of Augusto Farfus.
15:43 - Leading gap is now down to just a single second between the #163 Lamborghini and #48 Mercedes of Lucas Auer
15:39 - A very clean start as the entire field have mostly maintained their positions as gaps also begin to open up
15:33 - A clean getaway for the field as #163 Lamborghini leads, Valentino Rossi's #46 BMW sits in 22nd place
15:30pm - Green Flag