The opening lap of the Spa 24 Hours saw a catastrophic pile‑up that took five competitors out of the race, a true shock to the grid.
Start‑line Chaos Unfolds at Pouhon
From the first bend, the #34 Walkenhorst Aston Martin and the #66 Attempto Audi entered the double left‑handers side‑by‑side, both fighting after Bradley balance‑of‑performance penalties. Jamie Day’s Aston slipped only slightly, but Ariel Levi’s Audi veered into the runoff, smashing into the Vantage and ending his race in a violent clash.
Day limped the Aston back to the pits, while the safety car preserved his lead‑lap status. A few seconds later, Christian Hahn lost speed on his #992 Paradine BMW. Maxime Robin behind him braked, and Ahmad Al Harthy in the #42 Century‑BMW, caught by the abrupt stop, collided with Robin, feeding the spiralling collision.
More Cars Fail to Recover
The Paradine BMW and both Aston Martins were retired immediately, and the Century‑BMW returned to the pit lane. Its hood detached and re‑attached, triggering a full‑course yellow that demanded a second pit stop. Repair time totaled eight laps, compounding the loss.
Custodio Toledo’s #70 AF‑Corsic Ferrari, on the flanks, wrecked into a pile‑of‑debris, damaging the car and forcing another pit run while repair work remains pending.
Race Continues After a Series of Yellows
After 25 minutes behind the safety car, the race eased back in. Two further full‑course yellows erupted: one for the Century‑BMW’s re‑attached hood, the second from debris created when Alex Aka’s #99 Attempto Audi suffered a tyre puncture at the Bus Stop chicane after contact with Ben Tuck’s #74 Kessel Ferrari. Ben Green’s #0 JMR Corvette also spun Steven Palette’s #28 Haas‑RT Audi at La Source, incurring a drive‑through penalty.
Eventual Stand‑Alone Leaders
By the 60‑minute mark, the #51 AF‑Corsic Ferrari, which had started from pole, maintained the front slot ahead of the #58 Garage 59 McLaren and the #71 Selected Car Ferrari.
Heat‑induced Track Trouble
A 34°C morning trapped a scorching 40°C heat at the start/finish tower, forcing overnight track work at Circuit de Spa‑Francorchamps. The heat is expected to lessen Sunday, but thunderstorms loom on the horizon.
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