The legendary ups and downs of the Ardennes are home to FIA WEC this weekend for the TOTALENERGIES 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Located close to the thermal resort of Spa, established in the 16th century, the circuit has an equally long history, having hosted its first auto race in 1922 on a 14.1 kilometer configuration. The current shape came in 1979 and always produced fierce and fascinating racing. The imposing Eau Rouge complex, with its eerie beauty reminding chapters of motorsports history, is still one of the most captivating locations in the sport and a true icon.
Iron Lynx will be competing with a different line-up from what was used until now. After a physical issue sidelined Claudio Schiavoni, the #60 car will race with the Aussie duo of Stephen and Brenton Grove, in preparation for their Le Mans debut on the team’s third Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 car. Matteo Cairoli will continue to drive the car, providing assistance with his massive speed and experience.
The #61 car will feature Lin Hodenius, Maxime Martin, and Martin Berry, the Australian making an exciting FIA WEC debut after two masterful runs in ELMS at Barcelona and Paul Ricard. Hailing from Belgium, Martin is set to be the home hero with plenty of positive support and added motivation.
Experience, as always, is key at Spa-Francorchamps, where challenges are aplenty. A tough track, extremely unpredictable weather, relatively cold conditions, and a tight competitive pack set the race apart and can turn tricky and unforgiving.
Andrea Piccini – Team Principal & CEO: “We look at this event as an opportunity to keep learning ahead of Le Mans, but also to show what we have improved and worked on so far in the season. I think Martin, Stephen, and Brenton will be up to pace soon, as they already had the chance to gel with the team and put up some positive showings in the past. On the other hand, Matteo, Lin, and Maxime demonstrated their potential at Imola and on other occasions reaffirming their role as a key component of our journey.”