Christopher Haase topped the opening day of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa Prologue after setting the fastest time during Tuesday morning’s session at Spa-Francorchamps.
The 2017 Spa winner delivered a 2m16.535s in the #84 Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, which kept him ahead across eight hours of running. Although several rivals improved in the afternoon, none managed to beat Haase’s early benchmark.
Alessio Picariello came closest in the #2 Boutsen VDS Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO, ending the day just 0.022s behind after leading the second session with a 2m16.557s. Therefore, the opening day produced a narrow fight between Audi and Porsche at the top of the combined order.
Haase sets early benchmark for Eastalent Racing at the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa Prologue
Haase made his mark during the opening three-hour session, which ran from 09:00 to 12:00. The German driver completed his best lap on the 12th tour of the morning session and averaged 184.6 kph around the 7.004km Spa-Francorchamps circuit.
His lap gave Eastalent Racing a commanding advantage in the morning classification. Lorens Lecertua placed the #555 CSA Racing McLaren second in the session with a 2m17.282s, 0.747s away from Haase’s time. Thomas Drouet followed in the #64 HRT Ford Mustang GT3 EVO, just 0.012s behind Lecertua, while Dorian Boccolacci and Mathieu Jaminet completed the top five in Porsche machinery.
The morning order highlighted Audi’s outright pace, but it also showed the depth of the field. McLaren, Ford, Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari all placed cars inside the top 15, giving the Prologue an early competitive spread across multiple manufacturers.
Times from the morning session
Porsche responds in afternoon running
The second session ran from 13:00 to 18:00 and brought the field closer to Haase’s benchmark. Picariello led the way for Boutsen VDS with a 2m16.577s in the official session result, putting the Belgian squad on top of the afternoon classification.
Thomas Preining followed in the #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche, only 0.051s behind Picariello. Laurin Heinrich completed a Porsche sweep of the top three in the #22 Schumacher CLRT entry, while Haase’s Eastalent Audi placed fourth in the afternoon on a 2m16.858s.
That Porsche one-two-three underlined the strength of the 911 GT3 R EVO over a longer day of testing. More importantly, it suggested that the fight at the front of the Spa 24 Hours could remain extremely tight once teams return for race week in June.
Times from the afternoon session
Class leaders show depth across the field
Beyond the overall battle, the class picture also began to take shape. The #10 Boutsen VDS Porsche led the Gold Cup order, while the #66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi topped Silver Cup running in the afternoon session with a 2m16.930s.
In Bronze Cup, Lionspeed GP put the #89 Porsche at the front of the category with a 2m17.282s. Meanwhile, Haas RT led Pro-Am with the #28 Audi after setting its best time during the morning session.
Those times matter because Spa’s class battles often shape the overall race. With five categories sharing the track, every class leader must balance pace with traffic management, stint consistency and clean execution across the 24 hours.
Eight hours of running on opening day of Prologue gives teams early race data ahead of 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
The opening day gave teams a substantial amount of track time, with three hours in the morning and five more in the afternoon. Conditions remained dry across both sessions, while the first session included one Full Course Yellow phase and the second ran without Safety Car or Full Course Yellow interruptions.
That clean afternoon running gave teams useful data as they began preparations for the 78th edition of the race. Crews could work through set-up changes, tyre comparisons, driver acclimatisation and long-run planning on a circuit that punishes every weakness in balance, braking and traction.
The lap times also offered an early indication of how close the race could become. The top four cars in the afternoon session sat within 0.281s, while different brands continued to feature near the front across the two sessions.
Spa 24 field takes shape ahead of June race
Tuesday’s running coincided with the official launch of this year’s entry list. Organisers confirmed that 70 GT3 cars will contest the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, while the event will also introduce a revised Qualifying and Superpole format.
That context gives the Prologue extra significance. Teams must not only find race pace, but also prepare for a more pressured qualifying structure and the demands of a crowded 70-car field. As a result, early running at Spa allows crews to understand traffic patterns, refine driver rotation plans and assess how their cars behave in mixed conditions.
The cars will return to the circuit on Wednesday for another eight hours of running, with the same 09:00-12:00 and 13:00-18:00 schedule. After Haase’s benchmark and Porsche’s afternoon response, the second day should offer a clearer picture of which teams can combine single-lap speed with the consistency required for the 24-hour race.
The 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa will take place from 24-28 June.
