Hot on the heels of the opening round of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship in Great Britain, the teams and competitors are now arriving in the Ardennes region of Belgium for the second race of the season – the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
The historic track is arguably the most scenic in the world, set among forests and villages such as Stavelot and Malmedy, and featuring the iconic ‘Eau Rouge’ section of the track…the mere mention of which puts a smile on the face of all racing drivers!
The two-day meeting will offer action and entertainment for fans on and off the track. There is a free open paddock, free pit walk on Saturday, free grandstand seating and free entertainment – something for everyone! The WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is the traditional dress rehearsal for teams before the third round of the championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, and many of the cars are running in a low downforce configuration as part of their preparations.
Practice and qualifying…
The first track action for the WEC will be on Friday morning at 09h00 when the 28 entries take to the track for a two-hour free practice session. A second two-hour practice session will take place on Friday afternoon at 14h15 and in between these there will be practice and qualifying for the two support series, the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Benelux and the Trofeo Maserati.
While all the classes are brought together during free practice, this isn’t the case for qualifying and the LMGTE Pro and Am class cars will lead the way for a 30-minute session (extended from the usual 25-minutes due to the length of the track) from 19h20-19h50, while the LMP1 and LMP2 cars will follow on from 20h00-20h30.
It is worth remembering that qualifying in the WEC is different to other series and, as is appropriate for a championship in which two or three drivers have to share a car, in qualifying twodrivers from each crew must set at least two timed laps during the 30-minute session. The average of the four best lap times (the best two of each driver) will serve as the reference time for establishing the grid.
Fan friendly WEC…
Saturday is a busy day for competitors and fans alike with Porsche GT3 Cup and Trofeo Maserati races in the early morning, and plenty to see and do off track. Spectators will be able to freely observe the length and breadth of the pit lane during the pit-walk which is from 10h45-12h15. At 11h15 a 30-minute autograph session when all the drivers will be on hand to welcome their fans. This is the opportunity for fans to see their heroes at first hand and they will all be seated in front of their pit garages so the cars and stars will all be on full display.
Family fun at Spa…
Take your pick from a host of free activities aimed at amusing and entertaining the whole family! A full list of what is available can be found HERE.
Fiona Miller
