McLaren will start the 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa from pole position after Marvin Kirchhöfer delivered a brilliant lap in Superpole to put the #59 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO on top. His opening flyer of 2m15.113sec was already good enough for the top spot, securing both McLaren’s and Garage 59’s first-ever Spa pole.

Kirchhöfer delivers Spa masterclass

It was exceptional consistency that secured Kirchhöfer pole position. The German clocked a 2m15.113sec on his very first flyer, a time no one else could match. He set the fastest Sector 1 of the session and came within fractions of the best splits in Sectors 2 and 3, producing the most complete lap of Superpole. Just 0.046sec shy of his own theoretical best, Kirchhöfer’s effort was built on the strength of the whole lap.

Crash ends Chaves’ run and triggers red flag

In a session filled with intensity and commitment, all 20 drivers pushed to the limit with some having their times cancelled due to exceeding the track limits, but Henrique Chaves in the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin went beyond it with heavier consequences. The Portuguese driver crashed hard at Campus on his first flying lap, bringing out a red flag and ending his run before setting a representative time. The car was not classified and will require significant repair ahead of Saturday’s race start.

Mixed grid emerges from all-out Superpole attack

Behind Kirchhöfer, Jules Gounon came closest in the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed entry, clocking a 2m15.527sec—just 0.414sec off the McLaren. Dries Vanthoor followed in third for #31 Team WRT, making BMW the third brand in the top three. The top five was completed by the #9 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG and the #51 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari.

Top contenders like the #22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche and #50 AF Corse Ferrari couldn’t find enough to challenge, while the #92 Herberth Motorsport Porsche grabbed Gold Cup honours with a superb ninth overall.

Superpole results

  1. Kirchhöfer (#59 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3), 2m15.113s
  2. Gounon (#17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3), +0.414s
  3. Vanthoor (#31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3), +0.600s
  4. Martin (#9 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG GT3), +0.679s
  5. Rovera (#51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3), +0.681s
  6. Auer (#48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER Mercedes-AMG GT3), +0.804s
  7. Perera (#163 VSR Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2), +0.835s
  8. Drudi (#7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO), +0.947s
  9. Sturm (#92 Herberth Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R) – Gold Cup, +1.014s
  10. Fuoco (#50 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3), +1.051s
  11. Heinrich (#22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche 911 GT3 R), +1.101s
  12. Pepper (#63 GRT – Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3), +1.137s
  13. King (#33 Verstappen.com Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 – Gold Cup), +1.244s
  14. Marciello (#98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3), +1.348s
  15. Niederhauser (#96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R), +1.555s
  16. Van der Linde (#32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3), +1.917s
  17. Jaminet (#18 Dinamic GT Porsche 911 GT3 R), +1.955s
  18. Rossi (#46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3), +2.003s
  19. Eng (#998 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3), +2.472s
  20. Chaves (#34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3), No time

Watch the 24 Hours of Spa live

The front row is now set: McLaren vs. Mercedes-AMG. Lights out is next.

Watch the race live this Saturday on GT.REPORT/live.

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