Aston Martin has won the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa for the first time since 1948. The achievement also marks the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3's first 24-hour win. In a race full of challenging situations due to the weather and on-track conditions, the Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 led by Nicki Thiim, Marco Sorensen, and Mattia Drudi took the lead in the last 55 minutes. The team won by 33 seconds over the Ferrari AF Corse, who appeared to be on track for a second victory until a broken-down Lamborghini blocked its pit entrance. Alessandro Pier Guidi's #51 Ferrari lost more than 50 seconds as he was sitting behind the Silver Cup entry, turning a 10-second lead into a 40-second loss.
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Talking about the champions, this is a really meaningful victory for Sorensen and Thiim because it's their first 24-hour race win together. Even though they had three class victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans combined, this accomplishment is noteworthy. Sorensen conveyed his happiness by stating 'This is a very special moment. To win already in the first year with the new Vantage GT3 is an amazing achievement. It’s a fantastic car, and we’ve had a good feeling about it all year. But to win an event like this takes more than good driving and good luck, and the team, and everyone back at Aston Martin Racing, as well as my teammates, deserve credit for a victory I will remember forever.'
Thiim added 'It’s difficult to put into words what this means to me, and Aston Martin. We have been trying to win this race for a long time, and to do it in this way is an incredible feeling. I think everyone knows how I feel about Aston Martin. We have had so many special memories together, and this win is up there with the best of them for me.'
'To win with Nicki and Marco has been a fantastic experience,' said Drudi. He added 'This is such a tough race, but I would say we had the perfect run, with no problems and a very good execution. I am very proud of everyone on the team.'
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Other Official Statements
Adam Carter, Head of Endurance Motorsport, said 'We offer our sincere congratulations and thanks to our partners Comtoyou Racing on this fantastic victory for the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3. We have known since the start of the season what the car is capable of, and this performance at Spa was through a combination of technical excellence, endurance, fortitude, and execution. I’d also like to congratulate Walkenhorst Motorsport on a hard-fought performance which was unfortunate not to yield a podium finish. The hard work of everyone at Aston Martin Racing is paying off already in a car that is still so young. To win the 24 Hours of Spa is no small achievement and given that it had only been done three times by a British manufacturer in its 100-year history, and now twice by Aston Martin, it ranks as one of our greatest endurance victories.'
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