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FIA SCC – Spa-Francorchamps – Preview
Baker’s Dozen
There’s no hiding the disappointment of just 13 prototypes around Spa, for what initially looked like being the race of the season - by far. Twenty is our ‘threshold number’, and close to that would have been a marvellous way to (almost) see out the FIA Sportscar Championship. Thirteen is just plain disappointing: the greatest circuit in Europe, and sadly this is the best Europe can do.
What we do have is four of the best prototypes to be found anywhere: the two Racing for Holland Domes, the RN Motorsports DBA4-03S and the Team Goh Audi R8.
The intrigue between these four will be to see how well matched they are. Jan Lammers has made his feelings plain about competing against an Audi, on Michelins – an Audi with 40 kg of ballast, against the 60 kg that he has to carry, for being successful. He took on the same car at Le Mans, on the same tyres, running as near to the minimum weight as he could manage. Now he has to compete at a higher weight, on different tyres.
The DBA had the advantage (over the Domes) at Donington Park – an advantage that wasn’t apparent at Le Mans. Spa logically fits between the two tracks in terms of average speed - and therefore downforce required. Horses for courses, perhaps. It could swing the way of the Domes on the straights, with the DBA perhaps swifter through Eau Rouge and Pouhon.
The rest will struggle to stay in touch with these four. The Pescarolo Courage is certainly overdue a good result, and should be well matched with the Taurus Lola: Giovanni Lavaggi (and Larry Oberto) joins Ian Dawson’s team for this event, so no last run for the 333 around Spa.
The SR2 entry is as at Donington Park, so expect to see Peroni and Savoldi going at it with Stack and Hignett, with Ian Flux always likely to join them, with or without the wheelspin the Rapier 6 suffered at Donington.
The British GT field (plus guests) should take the number of starters to over 35, and the closing speeds around many parts of the track will probably create dramas for some. Not too many or too serious, we hope.
Logic suggests that Jan Lammers and John Bosch will be crowned FIA Champions again by early Sunday evening: they’ll have deserved it. This is the Dutch team owner testing at Le Mans last week - with the #1 Dome fitted with rear wheel 'discs': will he try these at Spa, as he did at Le Mans last year? High downforce (as in the photograph) or low downforce?
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