BMW DOMINATES CHAOTIC 6 HOURS OF SPA AS MCLAREN WINS IN LMGT3
The 6 Hours of Spa delivered everything endurance racing fans could ask for: dramatic overtakes, crashes, penalties, safety cars, and a tense fight for victory until the final minutes. In the end, BMW completed a perfect weekend with a dominant one-two finish in Hypercar, while McLaren took victory in LMGT3 after late heartbreak for Ferrari.
The race began under green flag conditions at Spa-Francorchamps, and it did not take long for action to arrive. Will Stevens immediately put the Cadillac #12 into the lead at Les Combes, while in LMGT3 the Lexus #78 held first place despite strong pressure from the Ford Mustang #77.
A few laps later, the Ford #77 produced one of the best overtakes of the race by passing the Lexus through Eau Rouge to take the LMGT3 lead. However, the celebration did not last long. The Ford suddenly spun by itself and became trapped in the gravel, bringing out the Safety Car for the first time.
After the restart, battles started appearing all across the field. The Alpine #35 climbed into second place in Hypercar, pushing the Peugeot down the order, while Ferrari slowly began recovering positions after a difficult qualifying. The Ferrari #51 finally passed the Toyota #7 and continued charging forward aggressively.
The first pit stop phase completely changed the race order. Cadillac #12, Ferrari #50, Ferrari #83, and Aston Martin #009 were among the first to stop. Ferrari’s strategy worked perfectly, with the #50 jumping from sixth to a virtual third place after the cycle of stops was completed.
In LMGT3, the Ford #88 took over the lead after jumping the Lexus #78 in the pits, while several teams started receiving drive-through penalties for track limits violations. Spa’s demanding layout punished drivers all afternoon, and penalties became a recurring theme during the race.
As the race entered its middle phase, Ferrari looked increasingly dangerous. The Ferrari #50 produced a brilliant overtake on the Alpine #35 after traffic at Eau Rouge, while the #51 fought intensely with BMW and Peugeot for podium positions. However, Ferrari’s hopes later suffered a huge setback when the #50 lost around 15 to 20 seconds during a pit stop because of a problem with the left-front wheel nut. The issue dropped the car from second place down to 14th.
In LMGT3, Ferrari #21 eventually took the class lead, while McLaren #10 continued moving forward after a difficult weekend in Imola. The Lexus #78 also remained in the fight despite receiving a drive-through penalty.
A Full Course Yellow interrupted the race because of debris on track, and later more drama arrived when the Mercedes #79 spun and hit the Peugeot #94 while rejoining the circuit. The damaged Peugeot was forced into the garage, and another Safety Car followed shortly afterward.
The restart changed everything again. The Alpine #35 struggled badly and dropped several positions, while the BMW #20 launched perfectly and immediately built a two-second advantage at the front. Behind them, Sebastien Buemi defended aggressively in the Toyota #8, while fierce battles continued throughout the Hypercar and LMGT3 fields.
Ferrari’s race then completely fell apart in heartbreaking fashion. The #51, driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, suffered heavy damage after contact involving a BMW GT car and a Porsche. The Ferrari was eliminated from the race, ending its hopes of victory.
Late in the race, another Safety Car erased the gaps and created a final sprint to the finish with around 20 minutes remaining. Five Hypercars were still fighting for victory, but the decisive moment came when the Alpine #35 crashed out after contact with the Aston Martin #009. The incident reduced the number of contenders and helped BMW take control.
In the closing laps, BMW worked perfectly as a team. The BMW #15 defended aggressively against the Ferrari #50 and Toyota #7, allowing the leading BMW #20 to escape and secure victory. Although both BMW cars came under investigation for restart infringements, it did not stop the German manufacturer from sealing an incredible one-two finish.
There was also huge drama in LMGT3. Ferrari #21 crossed the line first but received a five-second penalty for an unsafe release in the pits. With less than one second covering the top two cars before the penalty, the punishment handed victory to the McLaren #10 in a remarkable turnaround after its difficult Imola weekend.
After six intense hours, BMW celebrated a dominant one-two result in Hypercar, Ferrari had to settle for third place, and McLaren claimed a memorable LMGT3 victory at Spa-Francorchamps. One of the stories of the race also came from Genesis, whose #17 car finished eighth and scored points in only the team’s second WEC appearance, marking an impressive achievement for the new manufacturer.
Share this content:
