Team Honda Racing gave the NSX GT3 Evo a second-consecutive top-10 finish at the 24 Hours of Spa with a fine run to ninth in the 2020 edition.
Drivers Dane Cameron, Mario Farnbacher and Renger van der Zande showed frontrunning pace throughout for the JAS Motorsport-run team, executing a clean run from start to finish despite increasingly challenging conditions in the final hours.
From 26th at the start, Dane made rapid gains in the opening stint; dropping two places in the early laps, the American – racing at Spa for the first time – quickly fought back, completing a string of impressive overtakes after a full-course yellow to elevate the car to the fringes of the top 20 in the first hour.
That early progress was continued first by Mario, then Renger, as the car improved to 17th by the time all three drivers had completed a stint.
The trio had broken into the top 10 before the first quarter of the race was over, their ascent extended as day turned to night and as greasier track conditions set in with rain a regular threat.
Soon after in hour seven, during a full-course yellow period, the team opted to extend Renger’s stint by a lap – a strategic move they hoped would pay dividends towards the end of the race, which also allowed the NSX GT3 Evo to move into the lead for the first time.
This cycle continued as the crew established themselves as a genuine threat, until a rain shower at half-distance, not long after another stop, stunted their progress.
Though Renger gamely pushed on with slicks, lapping fastest of those who braved the intensifying rain without stopping, he was eventually forced to pit; the delay in switching to wet tyres meaning the car dropped off the lead lap for the first time.
The team fought hard through the night and into the morning to reclaim ground, serving the mandatory five-minute technical pitstop earlier than their rivals in the hope of clawing back time, and though the car briefly went two laps down Mario was able to exploit the pace of the NSX GT3 Evo to pass the leaders and quickly claim a lap back.
A lengthy full-course yellow at the start of the 22nd hour and subsequent stops from the majority of cars meant the frontrunners broadly converged on strategy, with Renger – now back at the wheel – emerging from the pitlane in the top 10 once more as heavier rain set in.
Though there was a brief scare when the NSX GT3 Evo was part of a three-car clash at La Source, from which it emerged in ninth, the run to the finish was otherwise trouble-free as Mario took the chequered flag in a clear ninth – keeping up the car’s 100% finishing record in the 24 Hours of Spa.
That result backed up the sixth-place finish scored in last year’s race and, combined with a maiden IGTC podium at Indianapolis scored by Dane, Mario and Renger earlier this month, underlined the NSX GT3 Evo’s credentials as one of the fastest cars in GT3 racing.
The strong performance also came despite the team having to skip the official test day as a direct result of their participation at Indianapolis.
Mario Farnbacher – Team Honda Racing : « Ninth is a great result for Team Honda Racing, and I think we can be really proud of the fact that we were able to fight with the best of the best on a level playing field in one of the great endurance races. The race had a bit of everything, as expected, so it was good to be able to show pace in all conditions even though we were at a bit of a disadvantage because we hadn’t been able to test here before the weekend. Scoring a second top-10 finish in two years here goes to show what a balanced, capable and reliable car the NSX GT3 Evo is. »
Dane Cameron – Team Honda Racing : « I think overall a ninth-place finish is a great result for Team Honda Racing and something we can be proud of. I’m really proud of the effort the JAS Motorsport guys put in for what is a hugely challenging event; any 24-hour race is, but this one was especially so with the weather and the level of the competition we faced. Renger and Mario did a fantastic job, and I really enjoyed my first experience of the 24 Hours of Spa. Hopefully I’ll be back for more in the future, but for now I’m grateful for the opportunity to sample one of the great races in sportscar racing for the very first time. »
Renger van der Zande – Team Honda Racing : « We can be proud to have finished in the top 10 for a second year in a row, especially as a single-car entry going up against some manufacturers with four cars or more. We executed our race well, and it was really nice to drive into the top five on merit and start fighting for podium positions during the night. In the dry we were as quick as the others, and though in the wet we were not, that’s an area we can work on. The car was fast and had a good balance, it was behaving very well on track, so we should be happy with what we achieved and hopefully take it forward from there. »
Alessandro Mariani – Team Principal – Team Honda Racing : « We are happy as a team with this result, particularly because we were one of the main actors during the race even though we started in 26th. Missing the official test because we were at Indianapolis meant it was a difficult start to the weekend and we had a bit of difficulty with the rain tyres, which in these conditions have a very narrow window. Even so, we put the car in a great position and scored a fantastic result, which confirms we are able to fight among the best teams in endurance racing. I must say a big thanks to all the crew and our three fantastic drivers. It’s a little bit frustrating because it could have been even better, but we hope this means we have an even bigger will to win in Kyalami after this strong result. »
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