The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa returns in 2026 for its 78th edition with another enormous field, a packed support programme and some of the biggest names in international GT racing.
A total of 70 cars will take the start on Saturday, 27 June, before racing through the night and into Sunday afternoon. After 24 hours around Spa-Francorchamps, the chequered flag is scheduled to fall at 4:30pm (CEST). The race remains one of the toughest tests in GT3 competition. Outright pace is essential, but success also depends on strategy, traffic management, reliability and avoiding mistakes across an entire day and night of racing.
Away from the circuit, the event will once again take over the region for five days. The traditional parade through Spa, live music, fan activities, fireworks and a full support race schedule will all form part of the 2026 edition.
Looking back: Lamborghini’s breakthrough in 2025
The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa delivered a historic first overall victory for Lamborghini and Grasser Racing Team. Mirko Bortolotti, Luca Engstler and Jordan Pepper completed 549 laps in the #63 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, taking the chequered flag just eight seconds clear after 24 hours of racing.
Garage 59 led the early stages after Marvin Kirchhöfer converted McLaren’s first Spa Super Pole into the race lead. The #59 McLaren came under immediate pressure from the AF Corse Ferraris and Rowe Racing’s #98 BMW, setting up a closely contested opening phase.
As darkness fell, the race became a test of survival. Laurin Heinrich suffered a major accident at Raidillon, while several leading contenders retired through crashes or mechanical problems. Among those eliminated were the #17 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG, the #911 Pure Rxcing Porsche and several Comtoyou Racing Aston Martins.
Through the incidents, the #63 Lamborghini remained consistently near the front. Strong pace, reliable running and effective strategy allowed Grasser to take control in the closing hours. Bortolotti completed the final stint under intense pressure from the #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche, while AF Corse’s #51 Ferrari secured third. The #50 Ferrari finished fourth ahead of Rowe Racing’s #98 BMW and the pole-sitting Garage 59 McLaren. Verstappen.com Racing won the Gold Cup, Walkenhorst Motorsport claimed Silver Cup honours, Kessel Racing secured the Bronze Cup victory and AV Racing by Car Collection prevailed in Pro-Am.
Lamborghini returns to the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in 2026 as the defending winner, beginning a new chapter with the Temerario GT3.
The manufacturers represented across a 70-car grid
The 2026 race will feature cars from 10 manufacturers, with several brands bringing substantial entries to Spa-Francorchamps. Porsche has the largest presence with 16 cars, followed by Mercedes-AMG with 11. BMW, Ferrari and McLaren will each be represented by eight entries. Aston Martin brings seven cars, while Audi will field six. Corvette, Ford and Lamborghini complete the manufacturer line-up for the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa with two cars each.
Lamborghini’s entry carries particular significance. As well as returning as the defending winner, the Italian manufacturer will give the Temerario GT3 its first start in a 24-hour race. With every entry built to GT3 regulations, the performance differences between the cars are expected to be small. That places even greater importance on pit work, driver consistency, strategy and the ability to stay out of trouble.
Multiple class battles throughout the field
The overall victory fight will be led by the Pro entries, but there will be several separate class contests ungolding across the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.
Gold Cup, Silver Cup, Bronze Cup and Pro-Am crews will all have their own victories to chase, with each category determined by the composition and grading of its driver line-up. That mix brings factory professionals, experienced GT specialists, young drivers and skilled amateurs onto the same circuit.
Managing traffic will therefore be one of the most important challenges. With 70 cars circulating on the same seven-kilometre track, leaders will constantly encounter slower traffic, particularly during the opening hours and through the night.
Former winners and major names return to Spa
Drivers from 45 nationalities are set to compete in the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. Great Britain is the most heavily represented country with 35 drivers, while 20 Belgian racers will contest their home event. The field also includes 15 former winners of the race. Two-time victor Jules Gounon will compete for Verstappen Racing, while the victorious 2025 trio of Bortolotti, Engstler and Pepper will all return, though they won’t be in the same team, as only Bortolotti stayed with Grasser. Meanwhile, Engstler moved to Rutronik Racing, which fields the Temerario GT3 this year, Pepper even changed the manufacturer and starts the race in a BMW.
Several other major names from across international motorsport are set to take part.
Valentino Rossi, Arthur Leclerc, Maxime Martin, Maro Engel, Raffaele Marciello and Nicki Thiim are among those confirmed for the grid. The depth of the entry means potential winners spread throughout the field, with factory-backed teams and highly experienced line-ups representing almost every manufacturer.
Wednesday’s parade begins the race-week celebrations of the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
The on-track action may be the main attraction, but the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa has developed into a much broader motorsport festival in the past and for 2026. Once there, fans will be able to meet drivers, collect autographs and take photographs.
The parade on the Wednesday ahead of the race is free to attend and regularly attracts more than 10,000 spectators, making it one of the most popular moments of the event. The focus then returns to Spa-Francorchamps, where the Fan Zone opens on Thursday. Supercar exhibitions, drift demonstrations, merchandise stalls and family activities will be available throughout the weekend. A large Monster Energy presence will also form part of the entertainment programme.
Fans with relevant tickets will also have access to the paddock, while pit walks, autograph sessions and a track walk will offer further opportunities to see the cars and drivers up close.
Live music and fireworks return to the circuit
Music will once again play a major role in the off-track programme at the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The first event takes place on Thursday with a rooftop party above the Endurance Pits. French artists SiBE and Julien Perrier will perform while qualifying and night practice take place on the circuit.
Friday will introduce the new Raidillon Party. After the opening support races, the famous section of the track will become a late-night dancefloor, with SiBE performing from 11pm until 1am. The main concert takes place on Saturday evening while the race is underway. SARI, also known as Éléonore Cesari, will open the programme, followed by iCe Kream before Jérémie Charlier and SPX perform a back-to-back set. International headliner Dimitri Vegas will take over the stage, with SIKS closing the night with a set.
A fireworks display above Spa-Francorchamps will provide another Saturday-night highlight as the race continues below.
A packed support programme awaits at Spa-Francorchamps
The 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa weekend will feature a packed support programme, with Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, the GT4 European Series, McLaren Trophy Europe and GT3 Legends all taking to the track.
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe returns with a 37-car field for two 50-minute races. Spa-Francorchamps has featured on every calendar since the championship’s inaugural season in 2009, and all four class titles remain closely contested. In Pro, only six points separate the leading three pairings, with Simone Iaquinta and Kevin Gilardoni, Silas Lovén Rytter and Patrik Fraboni, and Benedetto Strignano and Nicholas Pujatti all firmly in contention.
The GT4 European Series will bring a 44-car grid to Spa. Its opening race will run into darkness, making it the championship’s only night contest of the 2026 season, before the second race takes place on Saturday morning. SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm drivers Enrico Förderer and Cedric Fuchs lead the standings after securing both victories at the previous round in Monza.
McLaren Trophy Europe will also return with its one-make field of McLaren Artura Trophy cars. Staged alongside GT World Challenge Europe, the series has become an important development platform for young drivers aiming to progress into GT3 competition.
The weekend will also celebrate 20 years of GT3 racing with GT3 Legends. GT3 Legends will feature cars including the Audi R8, BMW Z4, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Mercedes SLS AMG and Nissan GT-R across two 50-minute races. The second will take place shortly before the start of the main event, giving fans the chance to see some of GT3’s most recognisable cars return to competition.
Another unpredictable 24 hours await
The 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is rarely decided by speed alone. Seventy cars will start the race, but the final result will depend on which teams can combine pace with consistency across changing conditions, heavy traffic and a full night of racing.
Crashes, penalties, strategy calls and mechanical issues can reshape the order at any point. Even the strongest entries cannot afford costly mistakes. Lamborghini arrives as the defending winner, but Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, Audi, Corvette and Ford will all be aiming to take the victory away.
After 24 hours of racing around one of the most demanding circuits in the world, only one crew will leave Spa-Francorchamps as the winner of GT3’s biggest race in 2026.
See the full schedule for the 2026 CrowdStrike 24H of Spa.
