Ferrari history at Spa’s Racing ‘University’

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit, known among aficionados as Europe’s racing ‘University’, nestled in the Ardennes Forest, features a 7.004 km track, 20 turns and numerous ups and downs. The name of Spa is inextricably linked to the history of endurance racing given that the first edition of the 24 Hours - now open only to GT cars - was organised there in 1924. The first Ferrari win in Belgium came courtesy of Luigi Chinetti and Jean Lucas in 1949 at the wheel of the 166 MM. Between Sport Cars and Prototypes, Prancing Horse achieved a tally of 13 overall victories from 1949 to 1972.

Unforgettable pages in endurance racing history have been penned at the Belgian circuit. One of these dates back to 1953 when the first Coupe de Spa was held over the 1,000-kilometre distance, won by Olivier Gendebien in a Ferrari 166 MM. In the 1960s Prancing Horse achieved memorable results with some of the most iconic models ever produced by Maranello, such as the 250 GTO, winner at the Spa 500 Kilometres in 1963 with Willy Mairesse and in 1964 with Mike Parkes. The most recent victory in an official capacity bears the signatures of Brian Redman and Arturo Merzario who triumphed in 1972 at the 1000 Kilometres, a stage of the World Endurance Championship, behind the wheel of the 312 PB.

In more recent years Spa has been the scene of numerous Ferrari exploits involving production-derived cars, in particular at the 6 Hours, one of the most highly anticipated races in the FIA World Endurance Championship. With its partner AF Corse, the Maranello marque claimed 13 top spots in its class from 2012 to 2022, the most recent sealed by Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado in LMGTE Pro, at the wheel of the 488 GTE, in a season that ended with a third world title for the Italo-British pairing.