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2023 Spa Classic
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Spectacular Spa-Francorchamps
If there is one certainty in motor racing, it is that the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps never disappoints. The undulating track in the Belgian Ardennes with its famous corners and unpredictable weather conditions is a favourite of drivers and fans alike. The legendary circuit becomes even more special once a year when the Belgian woods reverberate to the sound of four, six, eight, ten and twelve-cylinder engines. The occasion is the annual Spa Classic, which has been a set fixture since 2011. With virtually non-stop action from the 430 competition cars out on track, the eleventh edition more than lived up to its expectations. In addition to the racing there were also 800 club vehicles on display and some time was found in the schedule for a demonstration of 3.5-litre Formula 1 cars as well.
We were at the track throughout the weekend with this class-by-class 200-shot gallery as the result.

Fifties and Sixties
A relatively new addition to the roster is the Fifties' Legends with a 80-minute, pit-stop mandatory race. As the name suggests, it is open to cars from the fifties but also early 1960s machinery is eligible. At the Spa Classic, this resulted in a great race on Saturday afternoon that included a Lotus 15, AC Shelby Cobra 260 and the eventual winner; the Lister Costin Jaguar of Hans Hugenholtz.
Later that evening, it was time for the two-hour Sixties Endurance race with a capacity grid of 75 cars. Scheduled to start at dusk, it proved very challenging. Run in complete darkness, Friday's qualifying saw Jon Minshaw claim pole position with a hefty margin in his well-lit Jaguar E-Type. It was an eventful race that saw Minshaw retire early on, finished with a red flag and had its original winner relegated ten positions due to a steward's decision. Top honours went to Mr John of B. and Soheil Ayari with an AC Shelby Cobra. The two Frenchmen were joined by Richard Cook and Harvey Stanley, and James and Jeremy Cottingham both in Cobras as well.

Touring cars
For many years, the Spa 24 Hours was run for touring cars. This included the 1970s, arguably the heyday of the European Touring Car Championship, which saw a fierce battle between Ford and BMW. To celebrate this part of the Spa-Francorchamps heritage, there is always an additional Heritage Touring Cup race during the Spa Classic, held at night. Starting both races from pole position was Maxime Guenat in his 'psychedelically' liveried Ford Capri RS 3100. During the night race, his biggest challenger came from his Equipe Europe team in the form of Armand Mille, who had started back in 14th. Eventually, the young Frenchman crossed the line less than a second behind Guenat. It was a Equipe Europe Capri one-two-three with Yves Scemama placing third. In the second race, Guenat had an engine issue, which allowed Mille to score a well deserved win, beating the nearest rival by over two minutes. The second HTC race also saw a great drive from Emanuele Pirro and Alexander Rittweger in the very BMW 635 that the Italian had raced in period, to fourth overall and first in the Group A class.

Classic Endurance Racing
One of the early entry lists for the Classic Endurance Racing had a five-car waiting list and eventually a staggering 61 sports cars from the 1960s and early 1970s participated in qualifying. During qualifying, the top ten was dominated by Lola T70s but faster than all of them by quite a margin was the ex-Jo Bonnier McLaren M6B of Max and Andrew Banks. Campaigned in Sweden in five-litre guise before being shipped to North America, the M6B also dominated the during the one-hour race. Armand Mille came closest with his Lola T70 from fourth on the grid.
The slightly later CER2 field also had a strong entry with 37 cars that included several BMW M1s, Porsche 935s and a plethora of Lola, Chevron and TOJ sports prototypes. During qualifying, Yves Scemama was quickest in his Warsteiner liveried-TOJ, beating Maxime Guenat and his Lola to pole by just 0.161 seconds. Having chased Scemama for several laps, Guenat then stamped his authority on the race and scored a convincing win. Scemama crossed the line in second. The GT2 class saw a late heartbreak for Carlos de Quesada in his Porsche 935 K3, who lost third gear. This promoted Emanuel Brigand to first in class with his 935.

A modern touch
Usually struggling to get a decent entry, the Group C field consisted of a staggering 29 cars. Among them was a choice of Porsches and Jaguars but also the one-off Brun C91 and a Peugeot 905. Fastest of all in qualifying was the very late Joest Racing Porsche 962C of Ivan Vercoutere and Ralf Kelleners. The first race was run under difficult, changeable conditions and as it turned out bravest of all was Philip Kadoorie, who claimed a fabulous win with his Porsche 962C. The second race featured a dry track, which saw Kriton Lendoudis emerge on top with his thundering Sauber-Mercedes C11.
With 55 cars on track, the Endurance Racing Legends field was a real sight to behold. These very quick cars proved tricky to drive fast, so there were quite a few interruptions in two qualifying sessions and both races as well. Young Dutchman Leonard Hoogenboom impressed behind the wheel of the Dome he shared with original driver Felipe Ortiz, claiming pole for both races. He led both races as well but the pace was ultimately not rewarded with a victory. It was another Dutchman, David Hart, who won the opening race with his Courage C60, while Christian Gläsel worked his magic behind the wheel of his ex-Dyson MG-Lola to claim top honours in the second race.

Final thoughts
Once again, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and the Spa Classic lived up to the expectations. Beautifully organised by French specialists Peter Auto, the event provided non-stop action with some truly fantastic cars out on track. Best we could, we have captured all the highlights in this 200-shot gallery.

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Report by Wouter Melissen and images by Wouter Melissen and Pieter Melissen for Ultimatecarpage.com