RTR Projects KTM leads 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS & Simpson Motorsport seals double victory 2x5H PROTO

The RTR Projects KTM X-BOW GT4 (#221, Sergej Pavlovec/Eike Angermayr/Erik Janis/Daniel Skalický) tops the inaugural Hankook 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, the season finale of the 2017 24H TCE SERIES powered by Hankook, after the first part of the race. From fifth on the grid, starting driver Erik Janis took over the lead with 30 minutes in the books. The Mercedes-AMG Testteam Black Falcon Mercedes-AMG GT4 (#2, Saud Al Faisal/Alexander Toril/Miguel Toril/Adam Christodoulou) settled for second place overall as well as in the SP3-GT4 class. The top three were completed by the TCR class leaders, the LMS Racing Powered by Bas Koeten SEAT Leon TCR V2 DSG (#119, Kari-Pekka Laaksonen/Olli Kangas/Antti Buri). With these three cars finishing on the lead lap, their gaps will be closed for tomorrow’s race resumption

The TCR top three were concluded by the Red Camel-Jordans.nl SEAT LCR TCR V3 DSG (#303, Rik Breukers/Ivo Breukers) and the Bas Koeten Racing powered by Kawasaki SEAT LCR TCR V3 DSG (#155, Kristian Jepsen/Jan Sorensen) in positions four and five overall.

Sixth place overall and third spot in SP3-GT4 went to the Mercedes-AMG Testteam Uwe Alzen Automotive Mercedes-AMG GT4 (#211, Mike Stursberg/Chris Tiger/Fabian Hamprecht/Christian Hohenadel). The pole setting car, the Mercedes-AMG Testteam HTP Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT4 (#84, Bernd Schneider/Indy Dontje/Jörg Viebahn), lost twelve laps on the leaders with several repair stops.

The JJ Motorsport BMW M235i Racing Cup (#192, Mansoor Hamad Al Haijri/Abdulla Ali Al Khelaffi/Mahmoud Mohd Al Khalef) got past the class pole setters, the Sorg Rennsport BMW M235i Racing Cup (#152, Seth Thomas/Dan Rogers/James Colborn/Chris Wadle), to reach for the top spot in the CUP1 class. The Gamsiz motorsport BMW M235i Racing Cup (#162, Hakan Sari/Recep Sari) rests in third place.

Honda holds a two-way lead in the A3 category. The RKC/TGM Honda FD2-Civic Type-R (#99, Ricky Coomber/Thomas Gannon/David Drinkwater) currently has the upper hand against the pole setters, the Synchro Motorsport Honda Civic Type R (#176, Alyn James/Daniel Wheeler/Martin Byford). The German Wheels BMW M3 (#132, Michael Luther/Jan C. Kortüm/Bernd Küpper) follows in third spot and is still on the lead lap as well.

The Team Sally Racing Renault Clio Cup III (#52, Martin Sally Pedersen/Mads Christensen/Steffan Jusjong) had temporarily lost the A2 class lead to the three Belgian drivers in the Diesel-powered Heli Racing BMW 120D (#191, Gunther van den Hove/Wim Bradt/Linus Christiaens), but fought back shortly before the checkered flag was waived. Third in A2 is the HTM Racing Volkswagen Golf TDI (#222, Monny Krant/Henk Thijssen).

The race will be resumed tomorrow from 9.10 hrs to 17.55 hrs over the remaining distance of 8:45 hours. Live timing and live streaming with commentary by the team from Radio Show Limited is available from Motortrend on Demand and on the series’ website and YouTube channel. Further information can be found at www.24htceseries.com.