The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa was a race of speed, survival, and heartbreak. Across 24 hours, 549 laps, and countless twists, the Belgian endurance classic once again lived up to its reputation as the toughest GT3 race in the world. In the end, it was GRT – Grasser Racing Team who wrote history. Mirko Bortolotti, Luca Engstler, and Jordan Pepper guided the #63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 to victory, delivering Lamborghini’s first-ever overall Spa win and cementing their names among the immortals of GT racing.
A fierce opening stint: McLaren leads, Ferrari and BMW chase
The race began cleanly, with Marvin Kirchhöfer converting Garage 59’s stunning Super Pole into an early lead. The #59 McLaren set a rapid pace, chased closely by AF Corse’s pair of Ferrari 296 GT3s and Rowe Racing’s #98 BMW. Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco and Alessandro Pier Guidi stayed glued to Kirchhöfer’s rear bumper, while Augusto Farfus kept Rowe’s BMW within reach.
Traffic quickly played a role. The huge 70-car grid compressed around Spa’s 7 km layout, and the first hours were a delicate balance between aggression and survival. Yet the leaders wasted no time in pushing flat out, setting a relentless rhythm that would define the race.
Early drama – Heinrich’s heavy crash ends CLRT’s bid
The opening hours also brought the first major casualty. Laurin Heinrich, at the wheel of the #22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche, was tipped off balance while navigating traffic through Raidillon. The Porsche snapped sideways and slammed heavily into the barriers before bouncing back onto the circuit.
Heinrich escaped without injury, but the car was destroyed. CLRT’s promising trio of Heinrich, Güven, and Bachler saw their race end after just 26 laps, marking the first high-profile exit and a warning of Spa’s unforgiving nature.
Nightfall: Crashes, chaos, and attrition
As the sun set, Spa claimed more victims. Team GetSpeed’s factory-supported #17 Mercedes-AMG, with Stolz, Gounon, and Schiller, retired after contact at Blanchimont caused heavy damage. Soon after, the Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin #11, entered in Pro-Am, suffered a violent crash at Pouhon in the hands of Sérgio Sette Câmara. The car was too damaged to continue.
The night also ended the race for Pure Rxcing’s #911 Porsche, one of the pre-race favorites. Aliaksandr Malykhin tangled with the Comtoyou Aston Martin #21 at La Source, destroying both cars and scattering debris across the track. Both entries were retired on the spot.
Even manufacturers with strong Spa pedigree struggled. Dinamic GT’s #18 Porsche, featuring Matt Campbell, Bastian Buus, and Mathieu Jaminet, retired with damage after just 60 laps. Comtoyou’s Pro Cup Aston Martin #7, with Mattia Drudi, Nicki Thiim, and Marco Sørensen, also crashed out before dawn after contact in sector two.
By the halfway mark, several front-runners were already gone. The field thinned, but the battle at the front intensified.
Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini rise during the night shift of the 24 Hours of Spa
While chaos unfolded, Rutronik Racing surged forward. Sven Müller delivered a faultless triple stint in the #96 Porsche, carving through traffic and pushing into podium contention. Patric Niederhauser continued the charge, keeping Rutronik glued to Grasser’s Lamborghini and AF Corse’s Ferrari entries.
Ferrari looked equally strong. The #51 AF Corse machine of Rovera, Abril, and Pier Guidi ran cleanly through the night, backed up by the #50 sister car of Donno, Fuoco, and Leclerc. The two Ferraris exchanged positions several times but kept themselves firmly in the fight.
Grasser’s Lamborghini, meanwhile, moved into position. Pepper and Engstler kept the #63 consistently inside the top five, while Bortolotti’s pace in the dark matched the best Porsche and Ferrari had to offer. By sunrise, it was clear Lamborghini had the speed and consistency to challenge for victory.
Daylight battles: WRT and Rowe in the mix
Morning brought a fresh wave of drama. Rowe Racing’s #998 BMW of Philipp Eng, Harper, and Hesse hit gearbox issues that cost them laps. The #32 and #31 Team WRT BMWs, however, remained firmly in contention. Charles Weerts and Dries Vanthoor traded fastest laps as they hunted the leaders, ensuring BMW stayed in the mix.
Mercedes-AMG’s struggles continued. The #48 MANN-FILTER entry fought back into the top ten with Engel, Cairoli, and Auer, but unscheduled brake work left them too far from the podium fight.
Then came heartbreak for Valentino Rossi. The #46 Team WRT BMW, shared with René Rast and Kevin Magnussen, suffered repeated mechanical issues before dropping out of podium contention. Although the car reached the finish, it crossed the line outside the top ten.
Final hours: Lamborghini seizes control
The decisive phase came in the final six hours. Rutronik’s #96 Porsche and AF Corse’s #51 Ferrari pushed relentlessly, but Grasser executed a flawless strategy. Their shorter final fuel run put Bortolotti out front with a small but vital margin for the 24 Hours of Spa.
For the last two hours, Rutronik’s Müller and Niederhauser applied pressure, reducing the gap to under ten seconds, but Bortolotti held his nerve. His consistency through Eau Rouge and the Bus Stop ensured Grasser’s control never slipped.
Behind them, AF Corse locked down third and fourth with their two Ferraris. Rowe Racing’s #98 BMW completed the top five, showing endurance strength but lacking the outright pace to fight for the win. Garage 59, after leading early, finished sixth with Kirchhöfer, Goethe, and Loake, still earning valuable points.
Class battles deliver more drama during the 24 Hours of Spa
The fights across the classes were just as fierce as the overall battle. In the Gold Cup, Verstappen.com Racing claimed a landmark win with Thierry Vermeulen, Chris Lulham, and Harry King, who also secured ninth place overall. CSA Racing’s McLaren finished second in class, while Garage 59 added another podium with their #58 entry.
Walkenhorst Motorsport came out on top in the Silver Cup after a race-long scrap with BMW squads from WRT and Century Motorsport. Their Aston Martin, driven by Romain Leroux, Oliver Söderström, and Mateo Villagomez, survived the chaos and delivered the result when it mattered.
Kessel Racing sealed victory in the Bronze Cup with the #74 Ferrari of Blattner, Robichon, Laursen, and Marschall. They edged Winward Racing’s Mercedes-AMG after an intense overnight battle. In Pro-Am, AV Racing by Car Collection Motorsport prevailed in their Porsche, fending off Beechdean AMR’s Aston Martin in a closely matched contest.
History for Lamborghini and Grasser
After 24 hours, 549 laps, and a margin of just eight seconds, Grasser Racing’s #63 Lamborghini crossed the line to secure victory. It was Lamborghini’s first overall win in the 24 Hours of Spa, finally joining the elite group of manufacturers who have triumphed in the Ardennes.
For Bortolotti, it was the crowning moment of his GT3 career. Engstler and Pepper, both with less Spa experience, proved themselves as stars of the future. For Lamborghini, it was vindication after years of near-misses.
The 2025 edition will be remembered for its relentless pace, its punishing attrition, and the sheer variety at the front — Lamborghini, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, McLaren, and Mercedes-AMG all featured in the top ten. Spa once again proved that no other GT race can match its intensity.
This time, though, it was Lamborghini who joined the immortals.
