Bitter disappointment at the 24-Hour Race at Spa-francorchamps

At the biggest GT3 race in the world, the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Herberth Motorsport competed with three Porsche 911 GT3 R. From 26 to 31 July, the team from Bavaria was on the circuit in the Ardennes and tried to assert itself in the strong field. Despite a strong performance, the racing team around Robert and Alfred Renauer fell short of their own expectations.

Top placings in the previous races as well as a promising driver line-up gave hope for the podium at the endurance classic in Belgium. It was Antares Au, Kevin Tse, Dylan Pereira and Jaxon Evans who competed in the #9 car in the Pro-Am classification. With Stefan Aust, Niki Leutwiler, Nico Menzel and Alessio Picariello (car number 24), another quartet started in the class. In a third Porsche 911 GT3 R, Ralf Bohn and the two Renauer brothers once again took turns behind the wheel. The trio is one of the title contenders in the Gold Cup of the GT World Challenge in 2022.

"Our three cars were really well occupied. So good that we were among the fastest in both classes. We were able to prove this in the practice sessions and also during the first hours of the race," said Robert Renauer. With nightfall, however, the tide should turn at the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps. After the #9 car had to be parked, the #911 sister car, which had been leading the Gold Cup to date, retired.

The fact that a few hours before the end the Porsche 911 GT3 R with start number 24 also landed in the gravel bed as a result of a collision through no fault of its own made the disappointment complete. Particularly bitter about it: Until the incident, Aust, Leutwiler, Menzel and Picariello were at the top of the Pro-Am class by a large margin.

Despite the triple failure, Alfred Renauer is confident. "Now it's time to wipe your mouth and look ahead. Of course, we are not satisfied, but we try to make the best of it. The weekend will be analysed and then we will look at the next races," says the 37-year-old. From 2 to 4 September, he and his team-mates will get a new chance – then at the home round of the GT World Challenge at the Hockenheimring.