WEC 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps 2018 - LMP2

Two of the fastest LMP2 cars at Spa, but neither won.

Eight cars were at Spa Francorchamps to fight over the LMP2 class. Most were Orecas with one each from Ligier and Dallara, the Alpine also being an Oreca chassis.  All of course had similar Gibson engines.  The most popular car, bearing in mind the proximity to the Nederlands, was the yellow Jumbo sponsored Dallara of the Racing Team Nederlands and which included ex-Formula One drivers Jan Lammers and Guido van der Garde in their driver line up.  In the end, after a brilliant early stint from Guido to lead the class, that car hit gearbox problems and it was left to another ex-F1 driver, Jean-Eric Vergne to take the win with the G-Drive Racing team Oreca.   Talking of ex-F1 drivers, it was good to see Pastor Maldonado make his WEC debut with the DragonSpeed team.   The winning LMP2 car finished seven laps behind Alonso’s LMP1 Toyota after six hours and 156 laps of racing. 

 

Two of the LMP2 cars lapping a GT Ferrari at Bruxelles.

Thanks again to Gareth who showed me the ropes at Spa and features in one of my pictures of the day below.  I really appreciate how Spa caters for us amateur photographers with these holes in the safety fencing.

 

I hope Gareth got a good picture of the Alpine.

After the race we headed for the very pleasant Belgium town of Bastogne.  This is an area of Belgium where the Battle of the Bulge was fought in WWII, hence the number of tanks used as monuments in the locality. 

7^th Overall, 1^st in LMP2 class – No.26 – G-Drive Racing – Oreca 07 Gibson – Rusinov/Vergne / Pizzitola.

The winning G-Drive Oreca just after the start.

The G-Drive car No.26 in the Bruxelles corner.

The winning car exiting La Source.

The G-Drive car exiting the Les Combes complex of corners.

The winning team of drivers with Jean-Eric Vergne in the middle.

8^th Overall, 2^nd in LMP2 class – No.38 – Jackie Chan DC Racing – Oreca 07 Gibson – Tung / Aubry / Richelmi.

 

The two Jackie Chan cars exiting La Source.

The second placed Oreca of Jackie Chan Racing.

The No.38 car braking for Bruxelles.

9^th Overall, 3^rd in LMP2 class – No.36 – Signatech Alpine Matmut – Alpine A470 Gibson – Lapierre / Negrao / Thiriet.

 

The Alpine during the pit walk.

The Alpine heading down to Eau Rouge shortly after the start.

The Alpine heading up the hill from Eau Rouge.

At the exit of Pouhon.

In Campus towards the end of the race.

The three Alpine drivers during the autograph session.

10^th Overall, 4^th in LMP2 class – No.37 – Jackie Chan DC Racing – Oreca 07 Gibson – Jaafar / Tan / Jeffri.

The No.37 Jackie Chan Oreca during the pit walk.

Leading a group of LMP2 cars out of La Source early in the racew.

The No.37 was second in class early in the race.  Here it climbs out of Eau Rouge.

11^th Overall, 5^th in LMP2 class – No.28 – TDS Racing – Oreca 07 Gibson – Perrodo / Vaxiviere / Duval.

 

Racing down to Eau Rouge after the start.

No.28 in Bruxelles.

Entering Bruxelles.

Exiting the apex of turn eleven.

Exiting Les Combes

Perrodo and Vaxiviere.

12^th Overall, 6^th in LMP2 class – No.31 – DragonSpeed – Oreca 07 Gibson – Gonzalez / Maldonado / Berthon.

 

The No.31 car exiting la Source.

Braking for Bruxelles.

The DragonSpeed Oreca in Bruxelles.

Exiting Pouhon.

The 31 car during the pit walk.

Pastor Maldonado made his WEC debut.

In Campus towards the end of the race.

13^th Overall, 7^th in LMP2 class – No.50 – Larbre Competition – Ligier JSP217 Gibson – Creed / Ricci / Canal.

Exiting La Source.

On its way down to Eau Rouge past the spectators.

No.50 entering Bruxelles.

Creed, Ricci and Canal signing autographs.

In the pit lane after the first stop.

29^th Overall, 8^th in LMP2 class – No.29 – Racing Team Nederland – Dallara P217 Gibson – Van Eerd / Van der Garde / Lammers.

 

Dutch Dallara.

Eau Rouge.

Turn Eleven.

Exiting Pouhon.

During the pit walk.

Lapping a Porsche into Bruxelles.

Looking golden at Campus in the evening light.

For the LMP1 cars at Spa, click here.

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Battle of the Bulge American tank memorial in Bastogne.