The 2026 24 Hours of Spa are approaching the finish line, as the field contracts to a select group of lead‑lap competitors.
Retirements and Key Incidents
Three high‑profile teams have retired. The 2024 champion, the #7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin, bowed out after a heavy impact when Nicki Thiim spun loose at Raidillon. Thiim’s action, less fortunate than his 2022 escape, left the Aston Martin unable to recover.
The Mercedes‑AMG #3 Team Verstappen Racing exited at hour 17 when a pit‑lane collision, which saw the entry briefly blocked and then rear‑ended the #51 AF Corse Ferrari, triggered a fatal technical failure. The #64 HRT Ford Mustang’s stop‑and‑go penalty earlier in the day culminated in a safety car, but a later mechanical fault halted the drive after 16 hours.
Meanwhile, the #51 AF Corse Ferrari endured a right‑rear puncture during a late‑night tussle with #48 GetSpeed Mercedes‑AMG, when Tommaso Mosca’s pass on Luca Stolz brought contact. The Ferrari slipped from a gloaming lead but remains on the lead lap; another safety car could swing the outcome.
Lead‑lap Contenders and Battle Order
At midday the Porsche‑clad #80 Lionspeed GP leads the race, trailed closely by the Mercedes‑AMG #48 “Mamba.” Behind them, the #22 Schumacher CLRT and #2 Boutsen VDS Porsches push closely. Boutsen’s vessel suffered a six‑lap repair stoppage after a collision with its Gold Cup sister, the #10 Boutsen VDS Porsche.
The #98 Rowe Racing BMW has been dispatched into the “off‑sequence” battle to keep pace, while the #46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO has lost the pace required to hold the front position. Meanwhile, the #32 Team WRT BMW, running a different strategy, holds its own on the lead lap.
Other finish‑line “lead‑lap” cars include the #34 Walkenhorst Aston Martin and the #50 AF Corse Ferrari, both with insufficient momentum for a final charge. The #96 Rutronik Racing Lamborghini has also fallen off the lead lap, unable to find traction.
Looking Ahead
With only ten professional cars still on the lead lap, the drama hinges on unforeseen safety‑car interventions and the endurance of the clearing front. The battle among the trio of Porsches for the outright lead and the straining efforts of the Rowe Racing BMW to secure class glory inject fresh intensity into the closing hours.
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