The motorsport calendar has been upturned in 2020, but while that means a bit less racing overall there is one race that will be even longer, as the date change for the Spa 24 Hours coincides with the end of Central European Summer Time. The result? Instead of the Spa 24 Hours, we’ll be treated to the once-in-a-lifetime Spa 25 Hours.
As per a 24-hour race, the Spa 24 Hours will start at 15:30 on day one and finish at 15:30 the following day. The race would have been held in July, but owing to the coronavirus, this year’s edition will be held in October, and as luck would have it the event will be held on the same weekend the clocks go back, which means an extra hour thrown in to the middle of the race. 25 Hours of racing? We’ll take it!
A detailed timetable will be revealed in the coming weeks, but the big event will be the icing on the cake for a week of motorsport action in the Ardennes Forest, as there will be racing from the GT4 European Series, Lamborghini Super Trofeo series and the TCR Europe series to see, too.
What’s more the track will look very different, as the bright greens of Summer and the longer days will be replaced by new hues of orange and yellow on the trees around the track, less daylight and, perhaps, more unpredictable weather.
Are we excited? Absolutely. Do we think an extra hour of competition might catch some cars, drivers and teams out? More than likely.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
Spa Francorchamps
Spa 24