| Car Collection Motorsport will once again be competing in this year’s CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – the world’s biggest GT3 race – with a Porsche 911 GT3 R. The Car Collection Motorsport team is set for another highlight. The racing team from Walluf will compete in the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa with a Porsche 911 GT3 R, which is also the world’s biggest GT3 race. The race on the Ardennes circuit is also the highlight of the year for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup, the world’s largest and most competitive GT series. A total of 70 cars are entered for the endurance classic. The experienced team’s Porsche will face seven rivals in the Pro-Am class. The driver line-up is led by Porsche contracted driver Joel Sturm and the experienced Italian Niccolò Schirò. Nicolò Rosi from Switzerland and the Canadian Reinhold Krahn complete the Car Collection Motorsport line-up. The team, led by Peter Schmidt, returns to the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa with fond memories. Last year, the team won the race in the Pro-Am class. The Car Collection team made its debut at the race in 2022, when it competed with official factory support from Audi. In 2023, the team fielded two Porsche 911 GT3 R and secured a strong second place in the Pro-Am class. This year’s edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa takes place from 25 to 28 June. The traditional race will kick off on the evening of 24 June with an atmospheric parade through Spa’s old town. In the evening of 25 June, a four-part qualifying session will decide the starting grid, before the fastest 32 cars battle for pole position in a Superpole session on Friday afternoon. The race starts on 27 June at 4.30 pm. “We are delighted to be taking part in the Spa 24-hour race again this year. The programme came together at very short notice, so we have had a few intense weeks of planning behind us. Last year we won the Pro-Am class, so our aim this year is once again to fight for a top result. We have put together a strong quartet of drivers combining experience and speed,” said team manager Romina Schmidt. Porsche contracted driver Joel Sturm ahead of the start on the Ardennes rollercoaster: “I’m really looking forward to the race; it’s always one of the highlights of the year and it’s great to be on the grid again this year. The aim is definitely to repeat the team’s class victory from last year and also to achieve a good overall finish!” “I’m really looking forward to my fourth 24-hour race at Spa and my first time behind the wheel of a Porsche! I’ve already had a brief taste of the car and am very much looking forward to driving it again at Spa,” says Italian veteran Niccolò Schirò. “I think our driver line-up is well balanced, and we can fight for something big. I’ve worked with both Nico and Reinhold before and am really looking forward to sharing the car with Joel too – I’m sure I’ll be able to learn a lot from him. I’m absolutely thrilled about this experience with Car Collection Motorsport, a team with a rich history and great people.” “The Spa 24-hour race is always one of the races every driver looks forward to, so I’m really excited to be taking part with Car Collection Motorsport. Our goal is simple: prepare well, stay consistent and be right up there at the front when it counts. In a race like Spa, a good result depends on getting thousands of small details right over the course of 24 hours,” said Nicolò Rosi, who will be making his racing debut in a Porsche at Spa ahead of the world’s biggest GT3 race. “I’m really looking forward to my racing debut in a Porsche. Every car teaches you something different, and that’s one of the things I love most about motorsport. I’ve been lucky enough to drive some fantastic cars throughout my career, and now I’m looking forward to taking on a new challenge and discovering what makes the Porsche so successful. From what I’ve seen so far, it’s a car with great character, and I can’t wait to explore its potential alongside the team at one of the world’s biggest GT races.” Reinhold Krahn is set to make his debut at the 24 Hours of Spa and in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS. The 59-year-old Canadian is looking forward to the challenge: “The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is one of the legendary races in global motorsport and a real highlight that every GT driver must experience at least once. I’m looking forward to being there and making the most of this opportunity. My aim is to be competitive, make a strong contribution to the team’s performance and ultimately fight for a podium finish. That’s the goal everyone comes to Spa with, and I’m no exception. I joined the programme relatively late, just a few weeks before the race, so there was no long-term preparation plan specifically geared towards Spa. However, I have gained experience in the Porsche 911 GT3 R over the course of the season, as I compete in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. We have also recently completed several test days at circuits such as Misano and Monza, and I last raced at Le Mans – all of which helps me prepare for the challenge ahead. Earlier this year, I also competed in the Abu Dhabi 6 Hours, the 24 Hours of Dubai and a 10-hour endurance race at Sebring in a Porsche, so I’ve been fortunate enough to gain experience in various endurance races.” This year’s CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is also expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators around the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Fans who are unable to attend the race in person will have the opportunity to watch the entire race via the official livestream on YouTube. From qualifying onwards, the SRO will provide free livestreams in several languages, including German and English. |
