Spa 24 Hours: Bronze Test, Spa parade, and Thursday kickoff + Photos

With the 2025 edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa fast approaching, the build-up has shifted into gear. The first laps have been completed, fans have gathered in town, and Thursday marks the start of full on-track action.

Bronze Test opens the track

The week began on Tuesday afternoon with the Bronze Test, a session reserved for amateur-rated drivers. Darren Leung was the quickest of the 25 participants, setting a best time of 2m17.001sec in the #991 Paradine Competition BMW M4 GT3.

Jonathan Hui followed closely in the #93 Ziggo Sport Tempesta Ferrari 296 GT3, with Ben Dörr taking third in the #23 Team RJN McLaren 720S GT3. The session saw four different manufacturers in the top four, with Ralf Bohn, Louis Machiels, and Charles Dawson also posting competitive times.

The only notable incident came from the #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, which crashed early in the session. All other entries completed laps without issue.

Wednesday parade draws the crowds

Wednesday saw teams bring their cars to the centre of Spa for the traditional parade. The event gave fans the opportunity to see the full grid up close and meet the drivers ahead of the race.

At the track, paddock access was already open to fans, with exhibitions, entertainment, and displays set up around the Fan Village and red paddock. The relaxed weekday atmosphere offered a good chance to explore the venue before the main event.

Thursday Track Action Underway

Thursday marks the start of full track activity for the 24-hour contenders. After a busy day of Free Practice and support series sessions, the main event takes centre stage tonight with Qualifying from 21:15 to 22:36 and followed by Night Practice beginning at 23:05 and running until 0:35.

With all drivers per car needing to take part in qualifying, teams will focus on clean runs and setting consistent lap times. The top 20 average times will determine the order for Friday’s Superpole shootout.

The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa may not start until Saturday afternoon, but there’s already plenty to see and follow.

Get up to speed with the history, classes, rules, strategies, and more of the 24 Hours of Spa in our explainer – for beginners and seasoned fans alike.