Sam Tickell was out last weekend for the Spa 6 Hours and caught this excellent gallery of the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge
The 2025 Spa 6 Hours weekend delivered more than endurance racing spectacle — it revived nostalgia through the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge, a highlight for enthusiasts celebrating the golden era of touring car competition. Held on the Saturday morning support bill, the grid brought together an eclectic field of machines spanning the late 1970s to early 2000s, from BMW M3 E30s and Ford Sierra Cosworths to Opel Kadetts and early Volvo turbos, all echoing the visceral charm of pre-electronics touring cars.
Across Spa’s flowing 7 km of Ardennes asphalt, the race became a vivid blend of sound and strategy. Changing conditions around Les Combes and Stavelot kept drivers alert, with period-correct tyres and balance challenges amplifying the spectacle. Veteran and amateur racers alike relished the authentic mechanical feel — revs high, steering heavy, no electronics to correct a moment’s lapse.
Spectators responded enthusiastically along La Source and Eau Rouge, where echoes of Group A and Super Touring eras resonated once again. Beyond nostalgia, the Youngtimer challenge reinforced Spa’s enduring role as a living museum of motorsport — where history is not merely displayed, but raced flat out. For purists, it was the weekend’s emotional heartbeat.
