The full entry list for the 2019 Spa 24 Hours, the 71st edition, has been revealed today during the pre-event test at the fabled Belgian circuit.

This year’s grid will feature 72 cars across the four classes (36 cars in the Pro class) for what is not only a hugely important race for the Blancpain Endurance Cup teams, but the 28 entries focused on scoring Intercontinental GT Challenge points too.

ENTRY LIST >>>

ASTON MARTIN (VANTAGE AMR GT3)

6 entries: 3 Pro | 1 Silver Cup | 1 Pro-Am | 1 Am Cup

British brand Aston Martin has a new car this season and will be represented by three Pro efforts as it goes in search of its first overall win at the Total 24 Hours of Spa since 1948.

R-Motorsport will bring a pair of new Vantage AMR entries to the Pro class, with past race winner and local star Maxime Martin featured among the driving talent. A third car comes from the Garage 59 squad, which has switched to the Aston Martin camp for 2019 and will also field its leading Am Cup machine. The brand will have Silver Cup representation thanks to a third R-Motorsports crew and will compete in Pro-Am via Oman Racing with TF Sport.

In R-Motorsport’s third car Ricky Collard, ELMS regular Hugo de Sadeleer, Ferdinand Habsburg and Aaro Vainio will team up.

AUDI (R8 LMS GT3)

11 entries: 6 Pro | 3 Silver Cup | 1 Pro-Am | 1 Am Cup

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

When it comes to firepower, Audi has left no stone unturned this year. Six Pro cars will contest the race, four of which will compete for Intercontinental GT Challenge honours and with three factory-backed efforts among them. The brand will enjoy full class representation, with three Silver Cup entries joined by one each in Pro-Am and Am Cup.

Audi is the only marque to appear on the overall Total 24 Hours of Spa podium at every running since the Blancpain GT Series was launched in 2011 and will look to extend that sequence with another heavyweight effort.

The marque had already named its four IGTC R8s prior to the list being revealed.

Christopher Haase, Frédéric Vervisch and Markus Winkelhock are set to drive for Team Sainteloc, the outfit that won the race for Audi in 2017.

Frank Stippler and Dries Vanthoor who are coming off a victory at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring last weekend are set to drive alongside Alex Riberas in the first of two Team WRT entries. Robin Frijns, Nico Müller and René Rast meanwhile, make up the second entry for the hugely successful Belgian outfit.

Ricardo Feller who competes with Land Motorsport in the ADAC GT Masters will pair with Audi Sport factory driver Christopher Mies in the Land entry. They will be joined by perhaps an unexpected name; Jóse María López. The Toyota LMP1 driver will get his first taste of the Audi R8 when he takes to the track as the final driver for Land Motorsport.

BENTLEY (CONTINENTAL GT3)

5 entries: 4 Pro | 1 Pro-Am

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

British marque Bentley has an expanded effort, it’s biggest yet the M-Sport-run team bringing a quartet of new Continental GT3s to the race in an attempt to score a big win on its centenary year. As reported on DSC last month the team’s expanded line-up includes Pipo Derani, the Brazillian the most recent driver to be confirmed for the programme. The team’s driver-crew also includes two past Spa winners, with Jules Gounon lining up in the #107 and Markus Palttala aboard the #108.

Bentley will also be represented in Pro-Am by Team Parker Racing, where Andy Meyrick will make a return to the race after his huge off in last year’s edition during the night. That brings the total number of Continental GT3s to five.

BMW (M6 GT3)

5 entries: 2 Pro | 3 Am Cup

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

BMW’s motorsport exploits will forever be linked with Spa. The Bavarian marque is the most successful brand in the race’s history and has also clinched more wins than its rivals since the GT era began in 2001.

It will shoot for overall honours at this year’s event with a pair of M6 GT3s run by reigning champions Walkenhorst Motorsport and factory-backed Team Schnitzer. All three cars are entered for IGTC points too. Both teams will look to put their incredibly tough outing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours last month behind the.

A further trio of Am Cup machines will ensure that BMW is once again a major factor in the Ardennes.

FERRARI (488 GT3)

10 cars: 3 Pro | 1 Silver Cup | 3 Pro-Am | 3 Am Cup

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

Ferrari will launch a bolstered effort at the Total 24 Hours of Spa this year as the Italian firm hunts its first overall win since 2004. SMP Racing enters the event following a win at Silverstone and with its drivers at the top of the Endurance Cup standings.

The Russian-backed squad will be joined by additional cars from AF Corse and HubAuto Corsa, while the Prancing Horse also remains popular across the classes with three efforts each in Pro-Am and the Am Cup, plus a further Silver Cup entry from brand loyalist Rinaldi Racing.

HONDA (NSX GT3 EVO)

2 cars: 1 Pro | 1 Silver Cup

2 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

After returning to the grid at last year’s race with a Pro-Am effort, Honda steps up to a full-blooded assault on this year’s Total 24 Hours of Spa with Bertrand Baguette returning to race alongside Renger van der Zande and Mario Farnbacher in the IGTC-points scoring #30 Honda Team Motul NSX.

A second car will also compete, for Silver Cup honours thanks to Endurance Cup squad Jenson Team Rocket RJN, with Struan Moore returning to race alongside Matt McMurry, Phillipp Frommenwiler and Ricardo Sanchez.

LAMBORGHINI (HURACAN GT3 EVO)

11 entries: 3 Pro | 5 Silver Cup | 3 Am Cup

Lamborghini machinery has demonstrated impressive consistency during the Endurance Cup this term, with series newcomer Orange1 FFF Racing securing podiums at all three events and leading the teams’ standings ahead of the journey to the Ardennes.

The Chinese squad will field two Huracan GT3 Evo machines, while Grasser Racing adds a third potential winner to the grid. The Italian marque is well represented across the classes, particularly through its five Silver Cup machines.

A further three Huracan GT3 Evos will fight for Am Cup honours.

LEXUS (RC F GT3)

1 entry in Am Cup

Lexus will once again tackle the Total 24 Hours of Spa this term thanks to a new programme led by French outfit Tech 1 Racing. It is, however, a lower-key presence for the brand, which had a Pro entry from Emil Frey last year in the race.

The Tech 1 team will field an Am Cup effort that includes the driving talent of Fabien Barthez, who returns for another assault on the Belgian endurance classic.

The RC F GT3 showed pace at Spa last year and should prove to be among the leading class contenders in 2019.

MERCEDES-AMG (AMG GT3)

10 entries: 6 Pro | 2 Silver Cup | 2 Pro-Am

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

In terms of star power, Mercedes-AMG will be among the leading lights at this year’s race.

Its six-car Pro effort includes two past Total 24 Hours of Spa winners, as well as reigning champions from the Blancpain GT Series and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

The brand will also be represented by two Silver Cup entries, including the class-leading AKKA ASP and a pair of Pro-Am machines.

Strakka Racing forms part of the marque’s attack, the British team bringing two Pro cars to the race.

The #43 will be driven by Christina Nielsen and two drivers to be confirmed, while the #44 will compete with drivers Lewis Williamson, Gary Paffett and Tristan Vautier taking turns at the wheel.

“Spa is one of the biggest races of the year a driver can do,” said Nielsen, a newcomer to the team.

“The track is legendary and a favourite amongst many. Everyone knows that the competition is insane and it’s 24 hours of that, so without a doubt, it’s going to be intense.

“It’s been a couple of years since I last raced at Spa; I’ve spent time preparing on the Strakka simulator and have a really busy summer schedule with Spa being a part of that, so I’ll have had plenty of time behind the wheel to get me prepared for the race.”

NISSAN (GT-R NISMO GT3)

2 entries in Pro

2 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

Japanese marque Nissan will chase its first Total 24 Hours of Spa victory since 1991 with a two-car assault on the Pro class. With RJN now a Honda team, its hopes now lie with KCMG’s pair of GT-R NISMO GT3.

2015 Endurance Cup champion Katsumasa Chiyo is among its impressive driver line-up. Having secured an equal-best finish of the Blancpain GT Series era in 2018, the brand will now target a new high as part of its full-season assault on the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

PORSCHE (911 GT3 R)

9 entries: 6 Pro | 3 Pro-Am

4 Intercontinental GT Challenge entries

Porsche will chase its seventh Spa win and its first since 2010 with a renewed effort, as six Pro class cars challenge for outright glory in the Ardennes. Having taken victory in the season-opening Blancpain GT Series event at Monza, the brand will arrive with fresh hope of a strong showing. In addition, a trio of Porsche efforts will gun for Pro-Am honours at this year’s race.

The big news is the return of Team75 Bernhard, which almost finished on the podium its debut back in 2017. The German outfit hopes to put last year’s DNF behind it and gun for the win, with Timo Bernhard headlining the team’s star-studded line-up that features Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor.

ROWE Racing’s pair of Porsches also feature top GT racing talent as does the #20 GPX Racing example which has Kevin Estre, Michael Christensen and Richard Lietz listed.