The Spa Six Hours Endurance Race - Twenty Ford GT40s on the starting grid !

Written by Guus Docen

The 30th edition of the Spa Six Hours is just around the corner! From September 27 to October 1 2023, the Roadbook Organisation will be offering fans of historic racing an exceptional cocktail, but also a revamped format. The races and their qualifications will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Qualifying for the Spa Six Hours Endurance takes place on Friday between 7.15pm and 8.45pm, while the 30th edition of this prestigious race gets underway on Saturday at 3.50pm, finishing at 9.50pm. And with approximately hundred crews ready to battle it out, there's no doubt that the Spa Six Hours Endurance 2023 will be exciting as never before! Winning car on 15 occasions in 29 editions, the Ford GT40 will once again be the car to beat, as there will be... 20 of them at the start!

The world of historic racing has become a speciality for some, as demonstrated by the number of strong crews also lining up in Ford GT40s! Last year's winners, David Hart, Olivier Hart and Nicky Pastorelli, will once again be a very strong team. They are prepared to cross swords with other GT40 teams like such as Alex Brundle (Martin Brundle's son) and Gary Pearson in car no.2, Andy Priaulx (former World and European Touring Car Champion) Miles Griffiths and Gordon Shedden in car no.14, Jimmie Johnson (seven-time NASCAR champion), Dario Franchitti (three-time Indy 500 winner, four-time IndyCar champion) and Marino Franchitti in the car no.32, Nicolas Minassian (two-time Le Mans 24 Hours podium finisher) and Olivier Galant in the car no.88. Nikolaus Ditting and Sam Hancock (car no.3), Jason Wright, Michael Gans and Andy Wolfe (car no.6), Craig Davies, Chris Ward and Andy Newall (car no.7), Richard Meins and Chris Lillingston Price (car no.9), Shaun Lynn, Maxwell Lynn and Andrew Haddon (car no.10), Andy Willis and Rob Hall (car no.15), Kyle Tilley, Martin Stretton and Nicolas Minassian (car no.18), Oliver Bryant and James Cottingham (car no.21), Christian Glasel and Seb Perez (car no.24), Tony Wood and Will Nuthall (car no.25), Marcus Graf von Oeynhausen and Belgian Nico Verdonck (car no.30) and some more GT40 teams.
The competition will once again come from the Jaguar E-Type and the Shelby Cobra and Cobra Daytona. As for the British feline, Emanuele Pirro (five times winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans) will team up with the Katarina Kyvalova in a Jaguar E-Type. Also worth watching are Halusa's father and son, Martin and Lukas, who will be joined by Britain's Alex Ames (E-Type no.7), Armand Mille, Yves Scemama and Guillaume Mahé (E-Type no.31), Jon Minshaw, Jack Minshaw and Phil Keen (E-Type no.33), John Clark (on a Lightweight E-Type no.39), Belgium's Vincent Gaye and Joe Twyman (Semi-Lightweight E-Type no.71).
In honor of Carroll Shelby, we can count on Jeremy Cottingham and Harvey Stanley (Cobra Daytona, No.36), Michael Hinderer, Christian Traber and Lando Graf Von Vedel (Cobra, No.43), Alexander Kolb and Frank Stippler (winner of the 24 Hours of Spa and the Nürburgring, Cobra No.65), and so on.
Over the distance, watch out for forteen lightweight Lotus Elan 26Rs ! Some of which feature strong crews, with Michael Schryver, Will Schryver and Marcus Weller in a Shapecraft version, Lando, Alexis and Christian Graf Von Vedel (no.46), Roderick, Patrick and Rory Jack (no.63), Katsu Kubota, Andy Middlehurst and Richard Bradley (no.70), Simon Evans and James Littlejohn (no.75), Nick Matthews and Miles Griffiths (no.472), or Sam Tordoff, John Tordoff and Andrew Jordan (no.600)!
In addition to these legendary cars, there will be a host of other must-sees, including the Gilbern 1800 GT, Shelby Mustang 350 GT, Aston Martin DB4 GT (including the famous DP214), TVR Griffith and Grantura, Ginetta G4R, Ford Mustang, Falcon Sprint (with Vanina Ickx in no.100!) and Galaxie 500XL, Porsche 911 2 litres, MG B, Morgan +4, Marcos 1800 GT, Triumph TR4, and even an Abarth 1000 TC!