The 2016 European le Mans Series pays its annual visit to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps for Round Five of a closely fought season.
Racing has been highly competitive across all three classes, none more so than LMP2 where Thiriet by TDS Racing took the victory last time out and now lead G-Drive Racing by nine points in the LMP2 Teams Classification. G-Drive had set its sights firmly on winning the 2016 LMP2 Teams Classification and Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Giedo van der Garde will settle for nothing less than the win at the classic circuit.
United Autosports has the biggest lead in any of three Teams Classifications with the #2 car, driven by Alex Brundle, Mike Guasch and Christian England, sitting 30 points ahead of the #19 Duqueine Engineering entry in LMP3. United Autosports will be looking to consolidate its lead going into the final two rounds of the season.
JMW Motorsport arrive at Spa with a 5 point lead in LMGTE over the #99 Aston Martin Racing entry. Expect a titanic battle in the LMGTE class this weekend.
The entry list reveals a few changes to the entry for Round Four at Le Castellet.
In LMP2 Michael Munemann replaces Andrea Roda in the #25 Algarce Pro Racing Ligier JS P2. In the #32 SMP Racing BR 01, Vitaly petrov replaces Julian lean. Murphy Prototypes has two new drivers for Spa. In the #48 ORECA 05 Gary Findlay and Bruno Boniface replace Jonathan Coleman and Kevin Ceccon.
There is a new entry onto the LMP2 grid. Team WRT has entered a Ligier JS P2, the #47 car, which will be driven by Will Stevens, ex-Manor in WEC and G-Drive Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Laurens Vanthoor and Dries Vanthoor.
In LMP3 Carlos Tavares replaces Jean-Marc Merlin in the #4 Oak Racing Ligier JS P3. By Speed Factory has a fresh driver line-up for its #5 Ligier JS P3. Daniel Polley, Kevin O’Hara and Kim Rodkjaer replaces Tom Jackson, Alain Costa and John Hartshorne.
Alisdair McCaig, fresh from victory in the final round of the 2016 British GT Championship at Donington Park, joins RLR MSport, alongside Morten Dons and Anthony Wells.
In LMGTE Christina Nielsen, currently enjoying great success in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, re-joins Formula Facing in its Ferrari F458 Italia, replacing Mikkel Jensen.
In the #88 Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR 991, David Jahn moves aside to be replaced by Matteo Cairoli.
Practice begins at 15:20 local time on Friday September 23 with the 56-minute qualifying session starting at 13:25 local time on Saturday September 24. The flag drops for the start of the four-hour race at 14:00 local time on Sunday September 25.
