Historic Endurance: Victory for the Danish Ginetta in the 3 Hours of Spa

The Danish duo of Palle Pedersen and Alexander Weiss, at the wheel of their Ginetta G4R, secured a commanding victory in the 3 Hours of Spa, achieving a clean sweep — race win, fastest lap, and triumph in the Index of Performance — in an Iberian Historic Endurance season-opener that remained uncertain right up until the wave of the chequered flag.

With temperatures hovering around 20°C and sunshine greeting the packed grid for the headline race of the Spa Summer Classic, the Ginetta G4R, starting from pole position, quickly seized the lead and set the pace around the majestic seven-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. However, despite its outright speed and nimbleness through traffic, the nimble British machine — powered by a 1600cc Ford-Lotus Twin Cam engine — could never afford to relax, with the beautifully driven Lotus Elan 26R of Ben Barker and Rory Butcher keeping the pressure firmly on.

In the opening hour, leading up to the first driver changes, the Ginetta’s main challengers were in fact the two Shelby Cobras of Rüdiger Friedrichs/Charlie Martin and Alexander Kolb/Nico Verdonck, who staged an enthralling battle of their own. As the race unfolded, however, both American machines gradually slipped back from contention.

At the start of the final third of the race, Palle Pedersen and Alexander Weiss were forced to serve a drive-through penalty, momentarily handing the lead to the experienced British duo — although the Ginetta pairing swiftly reclaimed it soon after. As the race neared its conclusion, and with the Lotus Elan 26R ramping up the pressure on the leading G4R, the decisive moment came: with just two laps remaining, the engine of the car once known as the ‘Comp Elan’ gave way, to the immense disappointment of Ben Barker and Rory Butcher. They slipped back to third overall, while still securing second place in the H-1965 class — a category deservedly won by the Nordic pair.

On a podium filled with machinery from three iconic British marques, the misfortune of some became the fortune of others. The TVR Tuscan V6 of Connor Kay and Ben Caisley climbed to second place overall, benefitting from the car’s reliability and a well-executed strategy that saw them gain nine positions over the course of the race. Their efforts also earned them a hard-fought class victory in H-1971, joining two seasoned teams on the podium in the Ardennes.

The Alfa Romeo GTAm of French-speaking duo Grégoire and Guillaume Colinet — a car that had previously clinched its class win at Spa in 2022, still wearing its striking ‘Paris Match’ livery — finished second in class, while the Ford Mustang 302 Boss, driven by the Belgian trio of Emiel de Weerdt, Luc Branckaert, and Bjorn Kabergs, secured third place.

The battle for fourth place overall also coincided with the fight for victory in the H-1976 class. The Ford Capri RS2600 of the Kuijl family — driven this weekend by Wim, Tim, and Dieter — held firm against a strong push from the Porsche 911 RS 3.0 of Cyrille Prever and Michel Mitieus. Third place in the H-1976 class went to the Portuguese duo of Bruno Duarte and Filipe Jesus, who, behind the wheel of their familiar Porsche 911 RS 3.0, triumphed in a gruelling race that tested both the drivers and their machines.

The Index of Performance classification — one of the standout features of the Iberian Historic Endurance — awarded the coveted and exclusive Swiss Cuervo y Sobrinos watch, a symbol of a golden era of pleasure, sensation, and beauty. The prestigious prize was claimed by Palle Pedersen and Alexander Weiss, followed by Ross Hyatt and Charlie Hyatt in their Lotus Elan 26R. Portuguese trio Piero dal Maso, José Carvalhosa, and Guilherme dal Maso, driving a Porsche 911 ST, completed the podium.

The Iberian Historic Endurance returns to the Iberian Peninsula for its next round, at one of the most highly anticipated events of the year. From May 30 to June 1, the field of Europe’s most prestigious classic car series will headline another edition of the Jarama Classic, held at the historic Circuito del Jarama in Spain.

🔗RACE - CLASSIFICATION