News reached the Spa press room this morning which will affect the starting grid for this afternoon’s Total 24 Hours of Spa, specifically pole position.

Two stewards’ decisions have been published affecting the the #1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT R8 GT3, principally removing the car from its pole position. Dries Vanthoor’s time is annulled due to technical non-conformity, the Audi deemed to have benefitted from a modified air tract.

The ruling dictates that the car will take the start ahead of any car that did not take part in the Super Pole session, so the Audi will start 19th on the grid. (Only 19 cars took part in Super Pole)

Furthermore, a further statement from the stewards hands an additional penalty to the #1 car for the team’s presentation of a car with technical non-conformity of which the competitor was aware, this an infringement of the FIA’s International Sporting Code and means the car must take a three-minute Stop-Go penalty during the race at the Race Director’s instruction.

The team can appeal before the race.

This promotes the #62 R-Motorsport Aston Martin to pole position, the #2 WRT Audi lining up alongside on the front row for the 16:30 start local time. The last time an Aston Martin started the Spa 24 Hours from pole was 2013.