- Field of 70 GT3 cars divided into five classes, with 10 manufacturers represented
- Brand-new Qualifying and Superpole format to be introduced at 2026 edition
- Packed 10-day motorsport festival includes music from Dimitri Vegas and many other activities
The 78th CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa (24-28 June) promises to be exceptional. Presented today (Tuesday 19 May) during the first day of the official Prologue, this year’s entry list includes 70 GT3 cars and promises an incredible sporting contest between the biggest names in global sportscar racing.
In addition to a general presentation of the event, the press conference also allowed organiser SRO Motorsports Group to unveil a new format for Qualifying and Superpole. With just 36 days to go before the Parade reaches Spa city centre, the countdown is well underway.
Quality and quantity guaranteed
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is unquestionably the biggest GT race in the world. This is underlined each year by the strength of the entry list, and 2026 is no exception.
Indeed, the field achieves an impressive balance of entries across all five classes, each of which is distinguished by its driver line-up. There will be 18 cars in Pro, nine in the Gold Cup, 16 in the Silver Cup, 19 in the Bronze Cup, and eight in Pro-Am.
These entries are spread across 10 prestigious manufacturers. Porsche will be the best-represented brand with 16 cars, followed by Mercedes-AMG with 11. BMW, Ferrari, and McLaren will each field eight cars, while the other contenders for victory are Aston Martin (7 cars), Audi (6), Corvette (2), Ford (2), and Lamborghini (2).
The big news this season comes from defending winner Lamborghini, which will field its new Temerario GT3 in a 24-hour race for the very first time. Also of significance, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche will bring upgraded cars to chase victory.
The current entry list includes more than 250 drivers representing 43 nationalities and five continents. Among them are no fewer than 15 former winners. Last year's triumphant trio of Mirko Bortolotti, Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler all return, though they are now spread across three different cars.
Other big names include two-time winner Jules Gounon, who will represent Verstappen Racing, as well as Valentino Rossi, Arthur Leclerc, Raffaele Marciello, Nicki Thiim, and the four winners of last weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours: Maxime Martin, Luca Stolz, Maro Engel, and Fabian Schiller.
Five teams and more than 20 drivers to fly the Belgian flag
Though the event is fully international, the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa also retains a strong connection to its Belgian roots. Among the teams entered, fans will recognise Comtoyou Racing, winner of the centenary edition in 2024; Team WRT, which triumphed in 2011 and 2014; and Boutsen VDS, which begins a new chapter this year with Porsche.
In addition to this trio – all of whom compete full-time in GT World Challenge powered by AWS – two other Belgian squads will also be on the starting grid. Haas Racing Team will contest the 24 Hours for the third consecutive year and will field three Belgian drivers in its Audi. Based just a few kilometres from the circuit, the Mühlner Motorsport team returns to the event for the first time since 2011 and has Vanina Ickx on its crew.
In total, 21 drivers will represent Belgium this year. Among them are several international stars. Maxime Martin conquered the 24 Hours in 2016 and has already won the Bathurst 12 Hour and the Nürburgring 24 Hours this year. Porsche driver Alessio Picariello (2nd in 2025) and BMW representative Charles Weerts (2nd in 2021 and 3rd in 2024) will aim to climb the top step, while young talents Gilles Magnus, Ugo de Wilde, Matisse Lismont, Amaury Cordeel, Gilles Stadsbader, Jef Machiels, Lorens Lecertua, Baptiste Moulin, and Benjamin Paque should also receive plenty of support.
Among the biggest crowd favourites of all is Sarah Bovy. A former class winner at her home race, she will lead an all-Belgian quartet entered by Comtoyou Racing. One thing is certain: local heroes will be out in force at the 2026 edition.
Good to know
Knockout Superpole
On the sporting side, a new Qualifying procedure will be introduced this year. Three groups will be formed during Thursday evening’s regular Qualifying session to minimise the impact of traffic. Each will have 10 minutes on track, with Bronze and Pro-Am drivers, Silver and Gold drivers, and finally Pro drivers, running in that order. The average time of the drivers in each group will determine the initial line-up
At 15:25 on Friday afternoon, the 32 fastest cars from Qualifying will participate in a knockout Superpole session. After 10 minutes, the 16 slowest will be eliminated, and the remaining drivers will compete in a seven-minute session. The top eight will then have another seven-minute session to determine the final four, who will battle it out with a single flying lap to determine this year’s pole-sitter.
An automotive festival
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is much more than a race: it's a ten-day automotive festival. Following a sensational 2025 edition that attracted 128,000 spectators, SRO Motorsports Group has further enhanced its offering to provide fans with an exceptional experience.
The programme will begin with SRO Speedweek, held one week before the 24 Hours. Free for the public, this race weekend will host the FFSA French Championships (GT, Formula 4, and Touring Car), the British GT Championship, the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli, the Porsche Carrera Cup France, and the Mitjet France Trophy.
After testing on Tuesday, the first major event will be the traditional parade on Wednesday 25 June. At 18:00, the cars entered in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, along with competitors from the support series and several exceptional vehicles, will travel from the circuit to Spa city centre via the national highway, which will be lined with spectators for over 10 km. The drivers will then take part in an autograph session and pose for selfies with fans amid a truly unique atmosphere.
In addition to the 24 Hours competitors, the support series will take to the track from Thursday, including the GT4 European Series, GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli, Lamborghini Super Trofeo, and McLaren Trophy Europe. All told, this will bring nearly 200 more GT cars to the circuit.
Dimitri Vegas headlines international music event.
As ever, music will be a central element of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, with live performances planned for Thursday and Friday. Then, on Saturday evening, while the GT3 cars climb Raidillon, the traditional electro night will keep the crowd dancing into the small hours. While a few surprises are still in store, it has already been announced that Belgium’s international superstar Dimitri Vegas will headline the event.
Well before the concert, the Fan Village at the foot of Raidillon will have already come alive on Thursday with a funfair, a Ferris wheel, a Kids Zone, all kinds of shops, simulators, and numerous bars and restaurants.
A unique experience
With an expanding range of ticket options – including exclusive experiences such as helicopter flights, VIP access and Grid Walks – the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is an event not to be missed.
The party continues in the paddock and the campsites. There's no chance of being bored for a second with so many activities, including exhibitions of new models and supercars, meet-and-greets with drivers during autograph sessions, the traditional Parade, Pit Walk and Grid Walk, plus a wide variety of bars and restaurants.
The atmosphere is truly unique. Enthusiasts mingle with families and groups of friends, children have fun in the Kids Zone, while adults enjoy the funfair or the Ferris wheel. Add to that an aerial display, drift demonstrations, and a fireworks show, and excitement is guaranteed.
To keep fans entertained during the month leading up to the event, the full programme of activities will be revealed in the coming weeks. So, are you ready to experience the world's biggest GT race from the inside?