Customer Racing team Garage 59 bring a two-pronged attack to the race, with entries in both the
Silver Cup and Pro-Am classes.
Car #159 will tackle a super competitive, 18 car Silver Cup category. Imola podium-finishers
Ethan Simioni, Manuel Maldonado and Nicolai Kjærgaard welcome gamer-turned-racer James
Baldwin to their line-up, Baldwin returning to the cockpit of a 720S GT3 after a remarkable debut
season in British GT in 2020.
Fighting for class honours in Pro-Am will be the #188 crew of former GT Open champions
Henrique Chaves and Miguel Ramos & GT World Challenge stalwart Alex West. With sporting
regulations allowing for an additional silver-rated driver in Pro-Am entries, the team have enlisted
the services of their Sprint Cup driver Dean Macdonald to bolster the line-up.
An extended race build up sees several practice sessions in the run up to the first important
milestone of the week, the four-part qualifying session on Thursday evening. Each driver will take
part in one segment of the session, with the average time determining the finishing order. The top
20 cars will then advance to Friday's Superpole shootout, with a high chance of a Gold or Silver
Cup car causing an upset and deposing some of the Pro class entrants.
Superpole takes place on Friday evening, and will see the top 20 cars given 2 flying laps to
achieve the fastest possible time around the fearsome 7km circuit at Spa. The session is a
highlight of the event with the best names in GT3 racing displaying their world-class talent on a
clear track.
Once the grid is determined all that is left is the 24 hour race itself, which will start in the lateafternoon on Saturday. Drivers and teams will have to contend with the ever-present threat of
inclement weather in the Belgian forests, and the darkness once night-time sets in, all whilst
ensuring they are in the best place possible to challenge for the victory in the final hours of the
race on Sunday.
Car Number: #159
Class: Silver Cup
Team: Garage 59
Drivers: Ethan Simioni (CAN) / Manuel Maldonado (VEN) / Nicolai
Kjærgaard (DNK) / James Baldwin (GBR)
Car Number: #188
Class: Pro-Am Cup
Team: Garage 59
Drivers: Henrique Chaves (PRT) / Miguel Ramos (PRT) / Alexander West
(SWE) / Dean Macdonald (GBR)