A beacon of motorsport, the 24 Hours of Spa presented Miguel Molina with another tricky challenge. Starting from the back of the grid after a shortened qualifying session for his crew, the Ferrari factory driver and his teammates showed resilience to climb 34 places and finish just off the podium in their category.
Less than a fortnight after finishing the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Miguel Molina was back in the thick of the endurance racing action, taking on another iconic motorsport event: the 24 Hours of Spa.
Driving the AF Corse-prepared #71 Ferrari 296 GT3, the Ferrari factory driver competed in the Pro-Am category, which features crews combining professional and gentleman drivers. He shared the cockpit with Argentinians Luis and Mathias Pérez Companc and Belgian Stéphane Lémeret, who was competing in the legendary race for the 24th time.
« The 24 Hours of Spa wasn’t originally on my schedule, so it all came together quite last minute, but I was thrilled to be there as it’s such a special event. This year felt unique as I shared the car with the Pérez Companc family, father and son, and Stéphane Lémeret, whose experience here in Belgium speaks for itself. »
After a strong start, highlighted by the fastest time in their class in Free Practice, the quartet had a more difficult qualifying session as a technical issue prevented Miguel Molina from taking to the track. The qualifying system, based on average lap times, positioned the #71 Ferrari 296 GT3 in 72nd place on the 75-car grid.
« Unfortunately, qualifying didn’t go to plan. We experienced a technical issue that caused us to start down in P72. It was a big hill to climb, but that also meant we could only move forward, and we set our sights firmly on fighting our way back up the order. With 75 cars on the grid, we also knew survival would be key. We aimed to build a strong race step by step, and if things aligned, to fight for a good result in Pro-Am. »
The race promised to be intense as the team sought to make a methodical comeback while adhering to the constraints of their category, such as the minimum driving times for Bronze drivers. It was undeniably lively from the start, with Luis Pérez Companc behind the wheel. Although the crew gained ground in an agitated and dense field, the Argentine driver also had to perform an evasive manoeuvre between two cars that had collided at the Bus Stop chicane on lap two. The stints then followed in quick succession, and Miguel Molina took to the track at dusk to launch his first successful attacks.
In the battle for the Pro-Am podium, the quartet saw their hopes suffer a serious setback after seven and a half hours. After a collision at La Source, the car returned to the pits prematurely for 12 minutes of repairs. Shortly after returning to the track, the #71 car was pushed into a gravel trap by another competitor. Despite these setbacks, the crew persevered and demonstrated remarkable resilience in regaining ground on the category leaders.
Although three punctures, including one in the final hour, also slowed their comeback, the experience of the drivers and the tireless efforts of Miguel Molina allowed the quartet to resume their march forward. Despite the setbacks, the #71 Ferrari 296 GT3 crossed the finish line in fourth place in the Pro-Am category, having gained 34 places overall and reduced the gap to the eventual winners to just five laps: a strong achievement given the circumstances.
« Overall, I think we showed a strong pace throughout the race. The Ferrari 296 GT3 felt great, and we were consistently in the mix in terms of pace and performance. Unfortunately, we encountered a minor issue early in the race. We tried to manage it without losing too much time, but it had a bigger impact than expected. Still, we managed to keep going, and we were quick by the end of the race. It was a great experience sharing this weekend with a family-based crew and another I truly appreciate. And, for sure, I will try to come back to the 24 Hours of Spa in the future. »
After reaffirming his status as a key asset in a team competing in the world’s biggest GT race, Miguel Molina now turns his attention to the 4 Hours of Imola in the European Le Mans Series. He will be reunited with Andrew Gilbert and Fran Rueda in the Kessel Racing #74 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 with the same ambition as ever: flying high the Prancing Horse colours.
« I’m looking forward to being back in the European Le Mans Series with Andrew and Fran. It’s a championship I thoroughly enjoy: the format, the competition, and the opportunity to continue developing as a team make it incredibly rewarding. Hopefully, we can have a clean, trouble-free weekend and aim for the result we deserve together with Kessel Racing. I wish we were already there. But Imola will be a hot one, so we will see how the weekend unfolds! »
Blanca de Foronda,