The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa delivered a landmark result, with Lamborghini claiming its first-ever outright victory at the Ardennes endurance classic. The Grasser Racing Team, fielding the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO 2, executed a near-flawless race to secure the Italian marque’s long-awaited triumph, ending a decades-long quest for success at Spa and joining an exclusive group of manufacturers to have conquered the event
Prerace
The 77th edition of the race took place before a record crowd of 128,000 spectators over five days, underlining the enduring popularity of the event in the European motorsport calendar. The atmosphere was electric, with fans treated to a week of world-class competition and entertainment, both on and off the circuit
Spa’s notoriously fickle weather remained a factor, although conditions were relatively stable compared to some previous years. The event’s unique microclimate, with its potential for sudden showers and dramatic temperature swings, kept teams on alert throughout, adding to the strategic complexity.
Qualifying
Qualifying was fiercely contested, with the Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO (Joseph Loake, Marvin Kirchhöfer, Benjamin Goethe) topping the combined times and storming to pole in Superpole with a lap of 2:15.113. The field was tightly packed, with multiple manufacturers represented at the front, reflecting the depth of competition in modern GT3 racing.
Key event points
The early hours saw the pole-sitting McLaren lead convincingly, but as the race settled, Mercedes-AMG teams (notably GetSpeed and MANN-FILTER) emerged as significant threats, trading the lead through the night and into Sunday morning. The contest was marked by relentless pace and tactical battles, with several safety cars and Full Course Yellow periods compressing the field and providing opportunities for strategic gambles.
As the race entered its second half, the Grasser Racing Lamborghini—driven by Mirko Bortolotti, Jordan Pepper, and Luca Engstler—began to assert itself. The trio combined speed with consistency, avoiding mistakes and capitalising on rivals’ misfortunes. Their ability to maintain a relentless rhythm, particularly during the critical morning stints, proved decisive
The final hours were tense, with the leading Lamborghini fending off a late charge from its closest competitors. The margin of victory was less than a second, providing a dramatic conclusion and underlining the competitive intensity of contemporary GT3 endurance racing
Battles and notable performances
The event’s multi-class structure again produced compelling subplots:
- Gold Cup: Verstappen.com Racing secured a dramatic victory after a closely fought contest, demonstrating both speed and resilience.
- Silver: Walkenhorst Motorsport delivered an emotional win, surviving a race of attrition and late pressure.
- Bronze: Kessel Racing triumphed, while AV Racing by Car Collection took top honours in Pro-Am1.
Each class saw fierce competition, with several lead changes and a number of favourites eliminated by mechanical issues or incidents—a testament to the relentless demands of Spa.
Strategic highlights
The 2025 race further highlighted the maturity of GT3 machinery. Teams faced the usual Spa challenges: tyre management, fuel strategy, and the need to adapt to evolving track conditions. Pirelli’s P Zero DHF tyres again proved a critical variable, with teams balancing stint length against outright pace and the risk of late-race weather changes.
Pit stop execution was exemplary across the leading teams, with mechanics performing under pressure and strategy calls—particularly during safety car periods—often determining track position.
The significance of this result
Lamborghini’s victory is particularly notable as it marks the sixth different manufacturer to win Spa in as many years, a first in the event’s storied history1. For Grasser Racing and its drivers, this was a debut win, cementing their place in Spa folklore and delivering a breakthrough for the Italian marque after years of near-misses and heartbreak
The 2025 edition also reinforced Spa’s status as the world’s premier GT3 endurance race—offering a blend of tradition, technical challenge, and sporting drama unmatched elsewhere.
Conclusion
The 2025 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa will be remembered as a watershed moment for Lamborghini and a showcase for the competitive depth of GT3 racing. With a record crowd, a dramatic finish, and a new name added to the roll of honour, the event once again affirmed its place at the pinnacle of international motorsport
