Porsche No. 92 takes second consecutive win at Spa
Photo: FIA WEC
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Porsche No. 92 takes second consecutive win at Spa

The TOTAL 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, round one of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship, saw plenty of action in the LMGTE Pro and Am categories.

However, in the LMGTE Pro category it was Kevin Estre and Neel Jani that dominated with a lights-to-flag victory in the No. 92 Porsche 911 – RSR.  It marks the Porsche GT Team's second consecutive win at Spa and Estre’s fifth WEC victory.  Meanwhile, WEC returnee Jani made a dream comeback taking his fifth win in the series – the Swiss driver’s first since Le Mans in 2016.

The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado finished second, 35 seconds adrift of the category-winning Porsche.  The sister No. 52 Ferrari which was driven by Miguel Molina and Daniel Serra claimed the final podium spot.

Britain’s Oliver Gavin signed off an incredible 30-year racing career with a fourth place finish – the legendary sportscar driver and team-mate Antonio Garcia putting in a solid effort with the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R on its debut on European soil.

In the race’s closing hour, the No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR – 19 which was driven by Gimmi Bruni and Richard Lietz lost time after it made impact with the No. 7 Toyota, incurring a puncture.  The team were also penalised with a track limits drive-through penalty. They eventually finished fifth, 20 seconds adrift of the Corvette.

AF Corse Ferrari triumphs in LMGTE Am 

The LMGTE Am category was never short of drama but it was the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo driven by Francois Perrodo, Nicklas Nielsen and newcomer Alessio Rovera who eventually crossed the finish line first.

The reigning category champions finished 44 seconds clear of the No. 33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage shared by Ben Keating, Dylan Pereira and Felipe Fraga.  Completing the podium was Italian outfit Cetilar Racing, the Ferrari benefiting from a Full Course Yellow to climb up to third despite contact with the No. 1 Richard Mille LMP2 car earlier in the race.

The No. 88 Dempsey-Proton looked set to complete the podium to ensure three different manufacturers in top three positions but a late penalty dropped the Porsche 911 RSR – 19 out of contention, with the trio eventually finishing fifth. Fourth place went to the No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari.

Neither the No. 46 nor the No. 56 Team Project 1 cars started today’s race. Egidio Perfetti hit the barrier at Raidillon during yesterday’s qualifying, the damage of the shell structure on the rear left of his Porsche 911 RSR – 19 unable to be repaired in time.

Also unable to start today’s race was the GR Racing Porsche 911 RSR – 19 after Michael Wainwright crashed during the outlap, incurring damage to the No. 86 car only 10 minutes before the green flag was dropped.

Click HERE for full results.

Click HERE for provisional standings.

Next the FIA WEC moves to Portimao as the championship prepares for its first-ever race on Portuguese soil (11 – 13 June).