The 74th edition of the famous endurance race in Belgium will see the Lamborghini Huracán start in first position thanks to the time recorded by Andrea Caldarelli in the Superpole, ahead of Marciello’s Mercedes
Giulio Masperi
– spa-francorchamps (bel)
A show lasting an entire day with the weather that, for once, should avoid the risk of rain, traditionally a variable that makes the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps more complicated and evocative. The most anticipated race of the GT World Challenge Europe comes alive on the 7,004 kilometers of the iconic Belgian track. Starting from the first box will be the Lamborghini Huracán number 6 which recorded the best time in the Superpole on Friday with Andrea Caldarelli at the wheel, in 2’16”221. Second position for Marciello’s Mercedes (+ 0 ” 154). The “queen” test of the championship reserved for cars derived from the series will see the crew of Valentino Rossi, Nico Müller and Frédéric Vervisch start in 35th position in the Wrt team Audi R8. “With 66 cars on the track, there are many variables, we race as if we were in a jungle, but even if we start back, anything can happen” said the nine-time world champion in the MotoGP championship on the eve of the conference. The 24 Hours of Spa kicks off on Saturday 30 July at 4.45 pm and is broadcast live on the “GT World” YouTube channel, on TV on the Sky Sport platform.
24 HOURS OF SPA: THE SUPERPOLE
–
In the long program of the Belgian weekend, one of the most anticipated moments was the Superpole on Friday afternoon, at sunset, when the 20 fastest qualifying crews found themselves on track. Only one driver for each team looking for the best time to establish the grid. At the end of the session, which compared to qualifying on Thursday has “rewritten” the hierarchies expected at the start, Caldarelli marks the chronometric reference, on the Lamborghini number 6 of the Orange1 Kpax team, which competes as a crew with Jordan Pepper and Marco Mapelli. Second Marciello in Mercedes number 88 (Akkodis Asp), which shares the cockpit with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon. The podium is completed by the Porsche number 54 of the Italian Dinamic team, which sent the Austrian Klaus Bachler to the track in the Superpole (+ 0 ” 225). Fifth was the Lamborghini number 63 of Bortolotti. Among the Italians behind the wheel in the Superpole Mattia Drudi, in the Audi R8 number 12, who set the seventh fastest time. The first Ferrari 488 is number 71 (Iron Lynx) with Antonio Fuoco at the wheel in the session useful to establish the starting grid for the top cars (11th time, 671 thousandths from the leader). Twelfth in the time of Giacomo Altoè on Lamborghini (+ 0 ” 697), ahead of the other Ferrari of Iron Lynx with Nicklas Nielsen engaged in the session (+ 0 ” 711). To testify how close the cars are, it is enough to point out that the first 17 cars at the end of the Superpole are enclosed in less than 1 second.
24 HOURS OF SPA: THE QUALIFICATIONS
–
The positions from box 21 to 66 have already been established by qualifying, held on Thursday. In this large group of GT3s, representing the most famous brands in the world, as anticipated, Valentino Rossi and his teammates will start 35th. Despite the three drivers of the Audi number 46 having signed the 25th time (the result is obtained by averaging the best times recorded in qualifying by each driver), the car of the German company loses ten positions due to two penalties caused by the driver. Pesaro, a speed limit not respected in the pit lane and an overtaking under yellow flags, two “lightnesses” both costing five positions at the start.
24 HOURS OF SPA 2022: THE RANKING OF THE TOP FIVE
–
- Lamborghini Huracán number 6, Caldarelli-Pepper-Mapelli, Orange1 Kpax, in 2’16”221
- Mercedes GT number 88, Marciello-Juncadella-Gounon, Akkodis Asp, + 0 ” 154
- Porsche 911 number 54, Bachler-Ledogar-Preining, Dinamic, + 0 ” 225
- Mercedes GT number 2, Stolz-Schothorst-Gotz, GetSpeed, + 0 ” 368
- Lamborghini Huracán number 63, Bortolotti-Aitken-Costa, Emil Frey, + 0 ” 399
24 HOURS OF SPA 2022: THE PROGRAM
–
The 24 Hours of Spa, the seventh round of the GT World Challenge Europe, kicks off on Saturday 30 July at 4.45 pm, preceded by some accompanying series, including the second round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo (from 12.40, 50 minutes), the single-make of the Sant ‘Agata Bolognese.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
#Hours #Spa #Lamborghini #pole #position #Caldarelli #Valentino #Rossi #starts #35th