The Spa Classic took place on the traditional Spa-Francorchamps racetrack from May 22 to 24, 2026. The event was held as part of the Le Mans Classic Series and attracted numerous historic racing cars from various eras and vehicle classes to the Ardennes. The program was complemented by historic road vehicles from many clubs, which filled the paddock and the track with life. After a change in the weather at the start of the event, the weekend presented itself from its best side: three days of sunshine, warm temperatures and dry track conditions provided ideal conditions for drivers, teams and spectators.
A total of nine race series were on the program. Between training, qualifying and racing sessions, there were club sessions where historic road vehicles were presented on the track. The first races began on Saturday afternoon and lasted until late in the evening. Saturday proved to be the day with the most visitors, as some racing series completed their only races on this day.
Racing until dusk
One of the highlights of the event was the two-hour "Sixties Endurance" race on Saturday evening, which lasted until dusk. The starting field consisted of Shelby Cobra, Jaguar E-Type, Lotus Elan and Porsche 911, as well as rarer vehicles such as a Ferrari 275 GTB, Bizzarrini 5300 GT, Shelby Mustang GT350 and Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA. After 39 laps, Maxime Guenat and Guillaume Mahe secured overall victory in the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé with starting number 1. Second and third place went to James Thorpe and Jonathan Mitchell and Lee Mowle and Phil Keen respectively, each driving a 1965 Jaguar E-Type 3.8. A total of 41 vehicles were scored as darkness fell.
Gentlemen Challenge and Endurance Racing
The racing series "The Gentlemen Challenge" completed two 45-minute races. Both races were won by Luc-Pierre Verquin in a 1958 Lister Knobbly Chevrolet with starting number 17. He completed eleven laps in the first race on Saturday and twelve laps in the second race on Sunday. The field included three Ferrari 250 GT SWBs as well as the Ferrari 275 GTB known from the Sixties Endurance. The starting field was supplemented by cars from Porsche, Bizzarrini, Lotus, Morgan, TVR, MG and other manufacturers.
52 vehicles qualified for the one-hour "Classic Endurance Racing 1" race. The field was dominated by Lola T70s, various Chevron models, Porsche 911s and several Ford GT40s. Victory was secured by Jan Magnussen and Chris Ward in a 1969 Lola T70 Mk.3B GT with starting number 70. After 21 laps, they led an impressive Lola line-up - the first six places all went to Lola models. In seventh place was a Porsche 908/03 from 1971.
The "Classic Endurance Racing 2" was also held over 60 minutes. In addition to Lola, Porsche 935 and Chevron models, there were some unusual vehicles at the start. These included a Lotus Esprit Gr.5 from 1979, a Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo Gr.5 from 1981, a BMW M1 Procar, a Ferrari 512 BBLM, a Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo from 1981 and an Aston Martin DBS V8 RHAM/1. Jan Magnussen and Chris Ward were once again successful. This time they won in a Lola T292 with starting number 70.
Heritage Touring Cup
Yves Scemama won the "Heritage Touring Cup 1" in a 1973 Ford Capri RS 3100 Cologne after 18 laps. The starting field consisted of Ford Capri and Ford Escort as well as several BMW 3.0 CSLs. It was supplemented by vehicles such as the BMW 635 CSi Gr.2, BMW 2002 TI, BMW 323i and Chevrolet Camaro Z28.
In the "Heritage Touring Cup 2", Sam Adriaans came out on top in a BMW M3 E30 with starting number 11 and won after 14 laps. Second place went to Richard Meins and former touring car and GT driver Rob Huff in a 1985 Jaguar XJS Series 1. In addition to the BMW M3 E30, the BMW 635 CSi, BMW E28 528i, Rover Vitesse, Volvo 240 Turbo and Ford Sierra RS500 were also represented.
Modern classics
In addition to the classic racing cars, the Spa Classic provided a stage for several younger GT racing series. A number of Porsches were represented in the "Endurance Racing Legends 2 GT2". The field was supplemented by Ferrari F430s, Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2s and Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3s. The exotic cars included a 2009 Mosler MT900 R and a 2004 Toyota Supra GT2. The "Endurance Racing Legends 1 - LMP-GT1" combined prototypes and GT1 vehicles in two races. Both races were won by Olivier Galant in a 1999 Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S. The open-top prototype with its extremely long front end not only caused a visual sensation, but also impressed acoustically. The variety of engine concepts and vehicle types created an impressive soundscape.
GT3 Revival
A separate racing series was dedicated to first-generation GT3 vehicles. The "GT3 Revival" field included the Audi R8, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Porsche 997 GT3 R, Corvette Callaway Z06R, Ferrari 458 GT3, Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 and a Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3. The rare Ford GT Matech GT3s were particularly noteworthy. One of these cars is being driven by Lindsay Brewer and Celia Martin in the current season. Martin was part of the Iron Dames' driver line-up in international GT3 championships until 2025.
The inclusion of comparatively modern GT vehicles in historic motorsport events is a matter for debate among purists. Nevertheless, these vehicles have great appeal. Now more than 20 years old in some cases, many of them have already found their place in historic motorsport. The supply of spare parts and the maintenance of these technically sophisticated vehicles require considerable organizational and financial effort. For several racing series of the Peter Auto Championships, the next stop is Dijon before the highlight of the season, the Le Mans Classic.
