The Bronze Cup has quickly become an essential part of the CrowdStrike 24H of Spa and will continue to be so in 2026. The category follows the traditional customer-racing formula by combining amateur competitors with ambitious Silver-rated drivers and leading professionals.
This year’s field contains 17 cars from six manufacturers, only one fewer than the headline Pro class. Porsche leads the category with six entries, while Mercedes-AMG brings four. Aston Martin, BMW and Ferrari each field two cars, while Audi completes the grid with a single Tresor Attempto Racing entry.
That depth should produce an extremely competitive contest. Kessel Racing returns as the defending winner after dominating the 2025 Endurance Cup campaign, but Rutronik Racing, Winward Racing and Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn lead a long list of credible challengers.
Meanwhile, established endurance teams such as Herberth Motorsport, 2Seas Motorsport and Tresor Attempto Racing add further experience. JMW Motorsport makes its first 24H of Spa appearance, Mühlner Motorsport returns after more than a decade away, and Razoon – more than racing strengthens Porsche’s already formidable presence.
What is the Bronze Cup?
The Bronze Cup uses one of the classic formats in GT racing. Each line-up must include a Bronze-rated driver, while teams can also call on Silver-rated competitors and one Platinum-rated professional. Crews can use either three or four drivers, although most teams have selected four for Spa.
This structure places the Bronze competitor at the centre of each programme. However, the leading Silver and Platinum drivers also play crucial roles by developing the car, setting competitive lap times and guiding their less experienced team-mates through the race.
As a result, driver management often determines the outcome. Teams must assign their drivers to suitable track conditions, complete the required driving time and avoid placing their Bronze competitor in unnecessarily difficult situations. They must also ensure that every driver maintains a competitive pace through heavy traffic.
A single professional cannot win the Bronze Cup alone. The strongest entries usually combine a capable Bronze driver with consistent Silver-rated racers and an experienced professional who can attack during the decisive stages.
The Bronze Cup at a glance
- Entries: 17 cars
- Manufacturers: Six
- Line-up: Three or four drivers – Bronze / Silver / Silver / Platinum
- 2025 winner: Kessel Racing – Ferrari 296 GT3
- Race start: 16:30 on Saturday, 27 June
Porsche holds the numerical advantage with six cars, while Mercedes-AMG follows with four. However, Kessel Racing’s Ferrari sets the early benchmark after winning the class last year.
Several entries also feature drivers who have already claimed class success at Spa. Antares Au won in 2023, while Romain Leroux and several other competitors return after earning victories in different categories.
The class combines proven teams with several newcomers, which creates a wide range of possible outcomes. Some crews will pursue victory from the opening hours, while others may rely on consistency and patience to move forward as their rivals encounter trouble.
Kessel Racing: the defending champion sets the standard
Kessel Racing enters the 2026 24H of Spa as the logical Bronze Cup favourite. The Swiss squad won the class last year and controlled the wider Endurance Cup campaign, establishing the #74 Ferrari as the benchmark for its rivals.
Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall continue as the regular core of the programme. Ben Tuck and Mathys Jaubert join them for Spa, adding two rapid young drivers to an already competitive line-up.
Marschall provides proven professional speed, while Blattner has developed considerable experience within the Kessel programme. Jaubert and Tuck can both deliver aggressive pace during the faster stages of the race, giving the team several options when it needs to recover time.
On raw speed, the #74 Ferrari appears extremely difficult to beat. However, Kessel must manage the pressure of defending its victory and avoid forcing the issue too early. Spa rarely rewards a team that treats the opening hours like a sprint race.
The team already knows how to win this category. If Kessel combines its pace with the same consistency and discipline that defined its 2025 campaign, the #74 should remain at the centre of the class battle.
Rutronik Racing: a former winner leads Porsche’s attack
Rutronik Racing presents one of the strongest challenges to Kessel. The German squad has performed consistently over the past year and brings a line-up filled with class-winning experience and factory-level speed.
Antares Au won his category at Spa in 2023 and understands the demands that the race places on a Bronze-rated competitor. Martin Rump, Michelle Gatting and Porsche factory driver Sven Müller complete the #97 crew.
Müller gives Rutronik one of the quickest professional drivers in the Bronze Cup. However, his contribution extends beyond outright lap time. He can guide the crew with set-up feedback, tyre management and advice on navigating traffic.
Gatting and Rump also bring substantial international GT experience. As a result, Rutronik does not need to rely entirely on Müller to recover time during the professional stints.
The team has already shown that it can compete near the front at Spa. If Au delivers consistent running and the rest of the crew keeps the Porsche clear of trouble, the #97 could deny Kessel a second successive victory.
Herberth Motorsport: Mathieu Jaminet strengthens an experienced crew
Herberth Motorsport gives Porsche another major opportunity through one of the most experienced endurance teams in the field. The German squad has contested long-distance races around the world and understands how to manage the changing demands of a 24-hour contest.
Ralf Bohn and Alfred Renauer provide the experienced core of the #91 line-up. Huub van Eijndhoven adds youth and speed, while Porsche factory driver Mathieu Jaminet completes the crew.
Jaminet ranks among the most accomplished sports car drivers in the field. He can provide exceptional pace during qualifying and the closing stages, while his technical feedback should help Herberth refine the car throughout the weekend.
However, Bohn and Renauer may prove equally important. Both drivers understand how to protect a car, manage traffic and avoid unnecessary risks during the long overnight running.
Herberth may not attract as much pre-race attention as Kessel or Rutronik, but the #91 contains every ingredient required to fight for victory. Its combination of experience, patience and factory-level speed makes it one of the strongest entries in the class.
Lionspeed GP: Porsche brings another balanced line-up
Lionspeed GP adds further depth to Porsche’s Bronze Cup challenge through the #89 entry. Alex Fontana, Bashar Mardini, Axcil Jefferies and Patrick Kolb form a crew with considerable experience across GT racing and endurance competition.
Fontana and Jefferies provide professional speed, while Mardini and Kolb understand the demands of customer racing. The line-up therefore offers greater balance than crews that depend heavily on one driver to produce competitive lap times.
Lionspeed also operates a Pro Porsche at Spa, which should generate additional technical information. The two cars face different class requirements, but shared data can help the team understand tyre behaviour and changing track conditions.
Nevertheless, the Bronze Cup crew must maintain its own disciplined approach. Every driver needs to complete clean stints and avoid losing time through contact, penalties or unnecessary excursions.
The #89 may start behind the leading favourites in most predictions, but a controlled performance could move Lionspeed into contention as the race develops.
Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing: a new Porsche chapter begins
Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing begins a new phase of its programme as it tackles the 24H of Spa with the Porsche 911 GT3 R for the first time.
Eddie Cheever, Jonathan Hui, Christopher Froggatt and Mex Jansen share the #93. The line-up combines significant Bronze Cup experience with the speed of a highly rated young driver.
Hui and Froggatt understand the rhythm of long-distance GT racing, while Cheever contributes further professional knowledge. Jansen gives the team additional outright pace and could play a particularly important role during qualifying and the faster daytime stints.
However, Tempesta must transfer its accumulated Spa experience to a different car. The Porsche requires a distinct approach to set-up, tyre management and driving technique, which places additional importance on practice.
The team has repeatedly demonstrated strong endurance-racing discipline. If Tempesta adapts quickly to the 911 GT3 R, the #93 could become another serious contender within Porsche’s six-car attack.
Razoon – more than racing: a varied crew joins Porsche’s challenge
Razoon – more than racing remains in the Bronze Cup with Edward McDermott, Kenzie Reiss Beecroft, Carl Bennett and Bryce Fullwood sharing the #914 Porsche.
The four drivers bring experience from several different areas of motorsport. Fullwood has competed extensively in Australian Supercars, while Bennett has raced in both single-seaters and GT machinery. McDermott and Beecroft complete a crew that combines developing talent with experience from different racing environments.
That variety gives Razoon considerable potential, but the drivers must establish a consistent approach during practice. Spa requires every member of a Bronze Cup line-up to understand traffic, tyre management and the risks associated with overtaking slower or faster cars.
The team also faces several Porsche rivals with far more experience at this event. Rutronik, Herberth, Lionspeed and Tempesta all bring established endurance programmes, while Mühlner knows the circuit exceptionally well.
Nevertheless, the 911 GT3 R provides Razoon with a proven platform. If the #914 avoids early trouble and maintains a steady pace, the crew can establish itself firmly within the Bronze Cup battle.
Mühlner Motorsport: a familiar name returns to the Ardennes
Mühlner Motorsport returns to the 24H of Spa after more than a decade away, adding another Belgian storyline to the Bronze Cup field. The appearance also marks the team’s 60th participation in a 24-hour race.
Tobias Müller, Bayley Hall, Armand Fumal and Andres Latorre share the #123 Porsche. The four drivers bring different racing backgrounds, giving Mühlner a varied line-up for its return to the event.
The team may lack the recent GT World Challenge Europe experience of several rivals, but it understands endurance racing. Mühlner knows how to prepare a car for extended running, organise driver rotations and respond to changing conditions.
A clean race should represent the team’s first objective. The squad needs to rebuild its knowledge of the modern event and avoid becoming involved in unnecessary incidents during the crowded opening stages.
However, Spa often rewards patience. If the #123 remains reliable and the drivers build confidence through the night, Mühlner could produce one of the class’s most compelling comeback stories.
Winward Racing: Monza pace creates high expectations
Winward Racing enters Spa with unfinished business after displaying exceptional speed at Monza. The #87 Mercedes-AMG looked capable of challenging for an overall podium before a separate accident eliminated the car.
Marvin Dienst, Gabriele Piana, Rinat Salikhov and Daan Arrow share the entry at Spa. Dienst and Piana bring strong professional pace, while Salikhov has accumulated considerable experience as a Bronze-rated competitor. Arrow adds another quick driver to a well-rounded line-up.
The Monza performance proved that Winward can compete far beyond the Bronze Cup classification when circumstances align. However, the team must not allow that potential to encourage an overly aggressive strategy at Spa.
Class victory should remain the primary objective. If the #87 stays clear of trouble and maintains its pace, a strong overall result may follow naturally.
Winward brings one of the fastest combinations in the category. It now needs to convert that speed into a complete 24-hour performance.
2Seas Motorsport: two Mercedes-AMGs create two opportunities
2Seas Motorsport doubles its chances by fielding two Mercedes-AMG entries in the Bronze Cup. The additional car gives the team more data and strategic flexibility, although it also increases the operational workload.
Reece Barr, Charles Dawson, Garnet Patterson and Kiern Jewiss share the regular #222 entry. The crew combines developing drivers with strong GT experience, while Jewiss provides considerable pace during the more competitive stages.
The one-off #33 Mercedes-AMG features Jason Hart, Scott Noble, Aaron Walker and Lewis Williamson. The four drivers bring substantial experience from British and international GT racing, which makes the second entry much more than a supporting programme.
Running two cars allows 2Seas to compare set-ups, tyre behaviour and strategic approaches throughout the weekend. However, the team must execute consistently across twice as many pit stops, driver changes and race-management decisions.
Both entries possess enough quality to challenge for a strong result. If one car encounters trouble, the other can preserve the team’s class ambitions, while a clean race for both could give 2Seas a powerful position on Sunday.
GetSpeed Team Dubai: Mikaël Grenier guides a promising crew
GetSpeed Team Dubai completes Mercedes-AMG’s four-car Bronze Cup presence. Gabriel Rindone, Jarrod Waberski, Tom Kalender and Mikaël Grenier share the #12 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Grenier brings previous Gold Cup success and extensive experience with Mercedes-AMG machinery. He can provide the crew with a reliable technical reference and deliver fast laps during the critical professional stints.
Waberski and Kalender add youth and potential, while Rindone anchors the programme as its Bronze-rated competitor. The team must help its developing drivers balance speed with the patience required at Spa.
GetSpeed operates entries in several categories, which should provide the organisation with a broad pool of technical information. That knowledge can help Team Dubai adjust its set-up and strategy as conditions change.
The #12 may receive less attention than Winward’s Mercedes-AMG, but its combination of team knowledge and driver quality gives it a realistic chance to challenge.
Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn: a standout Aston Martin line-up
Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn brings one of the most complete driver combinations in the Bronze Cup. Jonathan Adam, Romain Leroux, Giacomo Petrobelli and Lorcan Hanafin share the #56 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO.
Adam has built an exceptional record with Aston Martin and understands the Vantage better than almost anyone in the field. He provides the team with an accomplished leader who can develop the set-up and deliver competitive professional stints.
Petrobelli brings extensive Bronze Cup experience, while Leroux arrives after winning the Silver Cup in 2025. Hanafin adds youthful speed and continues to establish himself as one of the most promising drivers in the GT paddock.
The strength throughout the line-up distinguishes Ecurie Ecosse from several rivals. The team should maintain a competitive pace even when Adam leaves the car, which could prove crucial across the full race.
The #56 has the drivers, machinery and team experience required to challenge Kessel, Rutronik and the leading Mercedes-AMG entries. It stands out as one of the clearest victory threats.
Comtoyou Racing: an international crew tackles the team’s home race
Comtoyou Racing brings an international line-up to its home event. American Marcelo Tomasoni, Canadian Aaron Muss, Brazilian Kyle Marcelli and Italian Felice Jelmini share the #11 Aston Martin.
Marcelli provides significant professional experience and can establish a strong benchmark for the crew. Jelmini adds further speed, while Tomasoni and Muss continue to develop within Comtoyou’s Bronze Cup programme.
The team understands Spa-Francorchamps exceptionally well. Comtoyou won the race overall in 2024 and operates Aston Martins across several categories in 2026.
That wider programme should give the Bronze Cup crew useful technical information throughout the weekend. However, the #11 must follow its own strategic priorities rather than compare itself directly with the team’s Pro or Silver entries.
Ecurie Ecosse may attract greater expectations among the two Aston Martins, but Comtoyou’s local knowledge and operational strength give it a realistic opportunity to influence the class battle.
Oman Racing by Century Motorsport: Ahmad Al Harthy chases another major prize
Oman Racing by Century Motorsport fields the #42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO for Ahmad Al Harthy, Calan Williams, Pedro Ebrahim and Javier Sagrera.
Al Harthy has achieved considerable success in international GT racing and would value a Bronze Cup victory at Spa as one of the most significant additions to his record. He brings patience, experience and a clear understanding of how to manage an endurance race.
Williams, Ebrahim and Sagrera add youth and speed. Their pace should help the BMW remain competitive while Al Harthy completes his required driving time.
Century Motorsport also brings substantial experience from British and international competition. The team must adapt that knowledge to the scale of Spa, but the BMW M4 GT3 EVO gives it a proven technical platform.
BMW has won the event overall a record 25 times, although history cannot guarantee success in 2026. The #42 must execute cleanly across every driver, but it possesses enough quality to fight near the front.
Paradine Competition: BMW fields another major contender
Paradine Competition completes BMW’s Bronze Cup representation with the #991 M4 GT3 EVO. Leyton Fourie, Darren Leung, David Pittard and James Kellett form one of the most balanced crews in the category.
Leung has developed into one of the strongest Bronze-rated drivers in international GT racing, while Pittard brings factory-level pace and significant endurance experience. Fourie and Kellett add further speed to an already competitive combination.
Paradine understands the BMW and knows how to manage mixed driver line-ups across long-distance events. The team therefore enters with no obvious weakness in either its technical package or driver roster.
Spa will still test every part of the programme. Traffic, changing weather and fatigue can quickly undermine even the strongest preparation.
However, if the #991 avoids incidents and penalties, Paradine should remain among the leading contenders. The combination of Leung and Pittard gives the team particularly strong foundations.
Tresor Attempto Racing: Audi draws on previous class success
Tresor Attempto Racing won the Bronze Cup at Spa in 2024, although the #88 Audi returns with an entirely different driver line-up.
Carrie Schreiner, Georgios Kolovos, Daniele Di Amato and Sergio Sette Câmara share the Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II. Sette Câmara adds significant professional speed after building his career in international single-seater competition.
Schreiner and Di Amato bring GT experience, while Kolovos anchors the programme as the Bronze-rated driver. The crew must combine those strengths and maintain a consistent rhythm across each stint.
The Audi R8 understands Spa exceptionally well. Although it ranks among the oldest GT3 designs on the grid, the car continues to offer a reliable and competitive endurance platform.
Tresor Attempto also fields cars in the Gold and Silver Cups, which should provide the team with additional data. Its previous Bronze Cup victory and knowledge of the Audi make the #88 a credible threat despite the completely revised crew.
JMW Motorsport: a Spa debut with considerable potential
JMW Motorsport will make its first 24H of Spa appearance with the #60 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. Thomas Kiefer, Rolf Ineichen, Tim Heinemann and Pierre-Louis Chovet form one of the category’s most intriguing line-ups.
Kiefer also makes his event debut, while Ineichen brings extensive experience from major endurance races. His knowledge should help the crew manage the changing demands of the day and night.
Heinemann set the fastest lap of the race in 2023, demonstrating his outright speed around Spa-Francorchamps. Chovet adds another rapid young driver and gives JMW significant performance potential during the professional stints.
The team must adapt quickly to the scale and intensity of the event. However, JMW brings substantial endurance experience from other championships, while Ferrari’s recent Spa form provides further confidence.
The #60 enters as something of an outsider, but the quality of its driver line-up gives it enough potential to challenge for a podium or better.
The full 2026 24H of Spa Bronze Cup entry list
- #11 Comtoyou Racing — Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO: Marcelo Tomasoni / Aaron Muss / Kyle Marcelli / Felice Jelmini
- #12 GetSpeed Team Dubai — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Gabriel Rindone / Jarrod Waberski / Tom Kalender / Mikaël Grenier
- #33 2Seas Motorsport — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Jason Hart / Scott Noble / Aaron Walker / Lewis Williamson
- #42 Oman Racing by Century Motorsport — BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Calan Williams / Ahmad Al Harthy / Pedro Ebrahim / Javier Sagrera
- #56 Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn — Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO: Jonathan Adam / Romain Leroux / Giacomo Petrobelli / Lorcan Hanafin
- #60 JMW Motorsport — Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Thomas Kiefer / Rolf Ineichen / Tim Heinemann / Pierre-Louis Chovet
- #74 Kessel Racing — Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO: Dustin Blattner / Ben Tuck / Mathys Jaubert / Dennis Marschall
- #87 Winward Racing — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Marvin Dienst / Gabriele Piana / Rinat Salikhov / Daan Arrow
- #88 Tresor Attempto Racing — Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II: Carrie Schreiner / Georgios Kolovos / Daniele Di Amato / Sergio Sette Câmara
- #89 Lionspeed GP — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Alex Fontana / Bashar Mardini / Axcil Jefferies / Patrick Kolb
- #91 Herberth Motorsport — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Ralf Bohn / Alfred Renauer / Huub van Eijndhoven / Mathieu Jaminet
- #93 Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Eddie Cheever / Jonathan Hui / Christopher Froggatt / Mex Jansen
- #97 Rutronik Racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Martin Rump / Antares Au / Michelle Gatting / Sven Müller
- #123 Mühlner Motorsport — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Tobias Müller / Bayley Hall / Armand Fumal / Andres Latorre
- #222 2Seas Motorsport — Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO: Reece Barr / Charles Dawson / Garnet Patterson / Kiern Jewiss
- #914 Razoon – more than racing — Porsche 911 GT3 R: Edward McDermott / Kenzie Reiss Beecroft / Carl Bennett / Bryce Fullwood
- #991 Paradine Competition — BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Leyton Fourie / Darren Leung / David Pittard / James Kellett
The key Bronze Cup storylines
Kessel Racing begins its title defence: The #74 Ferrari combines defending winners Blattner and Marschall with the rapid Jaubert and Tuck.
Rutronik leads Porsche’s challenge: Former class winner Antares Au shares the #97 with Martin Rump, Michelle Gatting and Sven Müller.
Porsche holds the numerical advantage: Six 911 GT3 Rs give the manufacturer more entries than any other brand in the class.
Winward seeks redemption: The #87 Mercedes-AMG showed overall podium potential at Monza before an accident ended its race.
2Seas doubles its chances: The team fields two Mercedes-AMGs with separate but equally competitive line-ups.
Ecurie Ecosse brings a standout crew: Jonathan Adam, Romain Leroux, Giacomo Petrobelli and Lorcan Hanafin give Aston Martin a major victory chance.
BMW fields two balanced contenders: Oman Racing by Century Motorsport and Paradine Competition both possess the pace to challenge.
Tresor Attempto draws on past success: The team won the Bronze Cup in 2024 and returns with a new Audi crew that includes Sergio Sette Câmara.
Razoon adds to Porsche’s strength: Its varied four-driver crew joins a manufacturer group that already contains several established Spa specialists.
JMW and Mühlner add fresh storylines: JMW makes its event debut, while Mühlner returns after more than a decade away.
A classic GT contest with no easy favourite
Kessel Racing begins the 2026 CrowdStrike 24H of Spa as the Bronze Cup benchmark. The defending champion has retained the core of its successful programme and added two exceptionally quick young drivers.
However, Rutronik brings a line-up with equal claims to victory, while Herberth strengthens its experienced Porsche crew with Mathieu Jaminet. Winward has already demonstrated overall front-running pace, and 2Seas doubles its opportunity through two Mercedes-AMGs.
Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn presents one of the most balanced combinations in the field, while Comtoyou can draw on extensive local knowledge. BMW also brings two credible challengers through Oman Racing by Century Motorsport and Paradine Competition.
Tresor Attempto already knows how to win the class, and JMW possesses enough driver quality to make an immediate impact. Meanwhile, Lionspeed, Tempesta, Razoon, Mühlner and GetSpeed add further depth to a category that contains no easy opposition.
The Bronze Cup will ultimately reward balance rather than one exceptional driver. Every team must maximise its Bronze competitor, maintain speed across its Silver-rated drivers and deploy its leading professional effectively.
Traffic, weather, strategy and mechanical reliability will inevitably reshape the order. The crew that manages those factors while maintaining a consistent pace across its complete line-up will give itself the best chance of winning one of the most competitive categories at the 2026 24H of Spa.
Full entry list
Weekend schedule
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