The 77th edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa once again lived up to its reputation as the toughest GT3 race of the year. Despite impressive performances in qualifying, several leading laps and a strong pace, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport was unable to realise its ambitions of victory. With grid positions two (#17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed), three (#9 Boutsen VDS) and five (#48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER), the Mercedes-AMG Teams in the PRO Cup established themselves in the absolute top group right into the night.
The suspected 24-hour sprint was characterised by numerous yellow flags, which repeatedly forced the Mercedes-AMG Teams to rethink their strategy. In the early stages, a heavy collision between two competitors resulted in vehicle parts being spread over the track and the retirement of the #9 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the evening. Debris had damaged the radiator, forcing Boutsen VDS to withdraw from their home race. The #17, which led for long periods with Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers Jules Gounon (AND), Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz (both GER), fell victim to a collision with a lapped vehicle at around 2.30 am. Ultimately, it was the #48 with Lucas Auer (AUT), Matteo Cairoli (ITA) and Maro Engel (GER) that remained within striking distance of the leaders throughout the race. However, the further Full Course Yellow phases repeatedly came at unfavourable times, which meant that the strategic decisions did not bring the desired result. The trio finished the race in tenth place overall.
Individual classifications: Podium successes for the Mercedes-AMG GT3 in BRONZE and PRO-AM Cup
Daan Arrow (NED), Marvin Dienst (GER), Gabriele Piana (ITA) and Rinat Salikhov (RUS) staged an impressive comeback in the #81 Winward Racing. The car was damaged in an accident during Pre-Qualifying on Thursday, meaning the team was unable to take part in qualifying. Following extensive repairs, the quartet started the race from the back of the grid. In a turbulent race, they worked their way up a total of 57 positions to finish 17th overall and second in the BRONZE Cup.
The #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3, entered by CrowdStrike by SPS, competed in the PRO-AM class. The car started from the pit lane and was given a drive-through penalty twice in the first third of the race. Despite this, Colin Braun (USA), Nick Catsburg (NED), Ian James (GBR) and George Kurtz (USA) finished third in their class and celebrated another class podium after the PRO-AM victory in 2024.
>> Results CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
GT World Challenge Europe: Auer, Cairoli and Engel take the lead in the Endurance Cup
At the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, points are awarded in the GT World Challenge Europe after just six and twelve hours of racing. Lucas Auer, Matteo Cairoli and Maro Engel scored a total of 13 points, securing them the lead in the Endurance Cup drivers' standings. Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER ranks second in the Endurance Cup team classification.
Facts, Data, Figures
Race weekend spectators: 128,000
Conditions 24h-race:
- Cloudy and dry
- Air temperatures between 16 and 27 degrees Celsius
- 74 starters in five classes
- 15 Full Course Yellow phases, 9 Safety Car phases
Individual classifications:
- 32nd and 33rd class podium for Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing at the 24 Hours of Spa
- Second class podium for Winward Racing at the 24 Hours of Spa (after P2 SILVER 2020)
- Second class podium in a row for CrowdStrike by SPS at the 24 Hours of Spa (after P1 PRO-AM 2024)
Upcoming race weekends:
- GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup: Misano World Circuit (18 to 20 July)
- GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup: Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit (29 to 31 August)
- Intercontinental GT Challenge: Suzuka International Racing Course (12 to 14 September)
“Of course, we are very disappointed. We were aiming for a much better result. We really wanted to win here again. We undoubtedly had the performance to do so. Our teams and drivers were optimally prepared, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their tireless efforts. We'll be back on the attack next year. Until then, my congratulations go to Lamborghini and the Grasser Racing Team.”
Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
“As expected, this year's 24-hour race in Spa was a major strategic challenge. Congratulations to the winner at this point. Many Full Course Yellow phases unfortunately came at the most unfavourable times for our teams. But that's just part of Spa. Under the given circumstances, we were as well prepared as possible. We had the speed, especially in the conditions during the day. Unfortunately, we weren't able to realise our potential over the distance.”
Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing
“That was a long and tough 24-hour race. The race luck wasn't entirely on our side, but unfortunately that's sometimes the way it is in motorsport. We really gave it our all, but had to put up with a few setbacks during the night and early morning, so that we no longer had a realistic chance of battling at the front. The Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER once again gave everything and never gave up. In the end, we scored important points for the championship.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48
“The 24-hour race at Spa 2025 was a tough one. We were able to collect important points for the Endurance and overall standings of the GT World Challenge Europe and took the lead in the Endurance classification after getting points for the standings after six, twelve and 24 hours. We have to be satisfied with tenth place this weekend, because unfortunately we lacked the pace over the full distance to be able to make a decisive impact at the very front.”
Lucas Auer, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48
“The weekend was a rollercoaster ride for us. Due to the accident on Thursday, the start was anything but ideal. We weren't even sure whether we would be able to compete at all, but the team did an incredible job with the repairs. We started from last place and ended up in the top 20 overall. We got more than the maximum out of it and are therefore all the more delighted with second place in the BRONZE class.”
Gabriele Piana, Winward Racing #81
