WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2023 - Hypercars

The Cadillac and Ferrari Hypercars showed promise.

 I went to the WEC race at Spa-Franchorchamps this year in order to see the large field of 13 Hypercars, as the World Endurance Championship enters a new golden era.  As expected Toyota dominated and took the top two positions, but Ferrari showed promise and had two cars in the lead at one point due to a better tyre choice at the start.  In the end Ferrari gained the final podium position on the last lap as Calado overtook the Porsche Penske.  

The Cadillacs were faster than the Porsches in qualifying and the No.2 Cadillac made a great start but eventually dropped to fifth.  The No.3 Cadillac unfortunately dropped out early due to a crash with Renger Van Der Zande at the wheel.  Luckily he was unhurt despite a heavy impact at Eau Rouge.

The Porsches were rather disappointing compared to the Ferraris but eventually had one car finish on the lead lap in fourth place

The Glickenhaus was faster than the Peugeots in qualifying and beat them in the race.

Both Peugeots suffered issues and delays and finished well down.

The Vanwall was slowest of all and was involved in a number of incidents including a spin on cold tyres and a clash with one of the GT Ferraris. 

All of the Hypercars present feature in this blogpost.

The winning Toyota Gazoo Racong Toyota GR-010 Hybrid driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez.

The lead Toyota leads a Pugeot Hypercar through Eau Rouge.

The second Toyota came second after passing the rest of the field after irs practice accident.  This GR-010 was driven by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.

Brendon Hartley's qualirying accident.  He was OK.

Toyota No.8 on the Kemmel straight.

Third was the Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.  

The lead Ferrari.

Two Ferraris leading the race with the No.51 car in front as it negotiates Eau Rouge.

Fourth was the Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Dane Cameron, Michael Christensen and Frédéric Makowiecki.

The No.5 Porsche in qualifying at Radillion.

The Penske No.5 drivers - Makowieki closest to camera, then Cameron and then Christensen.

In fifth place was this Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook. 

The No.2 Cadillac.

The Cadillac drivers.  Richard Westbrook centre, Earl Bamber left and Alex Lynn right.

In sixth place was this Hertz Jeam Jota Porsche 963 driven by Antonio Felix Da Costa, Will Stevens and Ye Yifei.

The No.38 car in qualifying.

Seventh place in the Hypercar class (13th overall) went to this Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus 007 driven by Romain Dumas, Olivier Pla and Franck Mailleux.

Glickenhaus leads Porsche through Eau Rouge.

The Glickenhaus drivers.  Left to Right - Mailleux, Dumas and Pla.

Eighth place in the Hypercar class went to this Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8 driven by Paul Di Resta, Mikkel Jensen and Jean-Eric Vergne.

The No.93 Porsche.

Jean-Eric Vergne being interviewed whilst Paul Di Resta signs autographs.

Ninth place in the Hypercar class went to this Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8 

The No.94 Peugeot.

Tenth place in the Hypercar class went to this Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and  Nicklas Nielsen. 

The No.50 Ferrari leads some other Hypercars through Les Combes.

Eleventh place in the Hypercar class went to the Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680 driven by Tom Dillmann, Esteban Guerrieri and Jacques Villeneuve.

The No.4 Vanwall.

Twelfth place in the Hypercar class went to the Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 driven by Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor.

The No.6 Penske Porsche enters the Kemmel Straight ahead of a Toyota and the Jota Porsche.

Last and a DNF in the Hypercar class went to this Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Sébastien Bourdais, Renger Van Der Zande and Jack Aitken.

Cadillac leads Peugeot.

Sébastien Bourdais nearest camera, Jack Aitken furthest away and Renger Van Zande with children in the middle.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web à condition de créditer le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com, et de fournir un lien vers cette page.

The No.50 Ferrari overtakes an Oreca LMP2 car.

Ferrari pit during Saturday's pitwalk.

WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2023 - Some favourite photos from the weekend and around the circuit.

The winning Toyota at Raidillon during the race.   Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José Maria López took a good win.

On Friday and Satuday 28th & 29th April 2023, I attended my second WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.  I was attracted back by the new Hypercars and apparently so were many others.  This blogpost tells my story of attending the race and highlights some of my favourite photos I took over the two days and from various viewpoints around the circuit.

The modifications made to Spa last year have certainly improved the spectacle for the spectators and the WEC is in a very healthy state at present.

Other future posts will include all of the runners and the Porsche Carrera Cup races.

Thanks to Gareth and Jaap who attended the meeting with me and made it vastly more entertaining than trudging around taking photos on my own.

Friday Free Practice 3

This my chance to see some of the new Hypercars for the first time.  I was in the new stand on the outside of the exit of La Source.

The Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963.

The Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R.

The Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963.

The Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P.

The Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680.

Early in the session it was still a little damp.  Here is the Peugeot 9X8.

Pit Walk

Although rather crowed, even on Friday, it did give us the opportunity to see the drivers and cars close-up.

Saturday's Pit Walk seen from the grandstand.

Albert Costa and the Inter Europol LMP2 Oreca.

The winning LMGTE AM car and team.  In the middle French driver Lilou Wadoux, who became at Spa the first woman to win her class in WEC  racing since it started in 2012.

Mikkel Pedersen and the Dempsey-Proton Porsche.  He had claimed at GT podium at Sebring.

Qualifying

We were in the new stand above Raidillon for the Friday qualifying.

The Ort by TF Aston Martin Vantage AMR dominated the LM GTE AM qualifying.

Both of the Alpine Elf Team Oreca 07 Gibsons finished at the tail end of LMP2 Qualifying.

This Cadillac was fifth in qualifying but the Ferrari behind was second with a time very close to the Toyota.

The 6 Hours of Spa Race

We spent the first hour or so of the race in the Raidillon grandstand.

Just after the delayed start, two Ferraris lead a Cadillac and a Toyota at Eau Rouge.

The Glickenhaus uses the kerbs at Raidillon.

Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche exit Raidillon.

Penske Porsche follows Glickenhaus through Eau Rouge.

Second placed Penske Porsche at Raidillon.

The leading Toyota at Raidillon.

The Peugeot is a very different looking car.

The third placed Cadillac leads the other Peugeot.

Meanwhile a big battle was going on in the GT class with the Iron Dames Porsche leading an Aston Martin.

We then moved on and started to walk up the Kemmel straight, but first looking back at Raidillon.  We then continued right around the circuit.

The Iron Lynx Porsche exiting the Raidillon complex.

The Cadillac not using so much kerb on the exit.

Three abreast on the Kemmel straight!  Ferrari, Vanwall and Corvette.

Cadillac overtakes GT Ferrari on the Kemmel straight.

Hypercar train through Les Combes - Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota.

The second placed Porsche follows the lead GT car into Les Combes.

Despite starting from the back of the grid, the No.8 Toyota is already up to second place as it passes the Caravan site after Les Combes/Malmedy.

The Ferrari No.50 in the Bruxelles Corner.

The Team WRT Oreca-Gibson 07 which included Robert Kubica in its driver line up is second in class at this point of the race as it exits Bruxelles.  It eventually won its LMP2 class.

The second place Toyota seen through the trees as it takes Turn 9.

The third placed No.51 Ferrari of Alessandro Pier Guidi / James Calado / Alexandro Giovinavazzi was to keep this position until the end.  Here at turn No.9.

The GT cars heading down into Pouhon.

The lead Toyota leads a group out of the second part of Pouhon.

LMP2 cars in the final chicane before the start finish straight.

LMP2 Alpine leads the Iron Dames Porsche onto the start finish straight.

Porsche follows Peugeot into La Source.

Looking down at La Source as the Iron Lynx Porsche negotiates this tight first turn.

A classic view of La Source.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web à condition de créditer le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com, et de fournir un lien vers cette page.

A spectator's view from the grandstand above Raidillon during an early safety car period.