Despite strong performances in every class, the Spa Six Hours weekend did not culminate in success for DHG Racing. Technical issues and a massive amount of bad luck meant that their potential, particularly in the endurance race, could not be fully utilised, leaving David Hart’s team without silverware in the Belgian Ardennes.
With over eighty entrants, including the most successful historic racers, former Formula 1 drivers, and previous Le Mans winners on the grid, the Spa Six Hours is one of the highlights of the season and a race the entire DHG Racing team truly looks forward to. In qualifying, the Ford GT40 in the hands of David Hart, Olivier Hart, and Nicky Pastorelli proved to be among the fastest cars in the field, resulting in a third-place start. More importantly, the drivers, and the team as a whole, proved more than fast enough to compete at the front. Nicky took the start and led the race for over an hour, setting the fastest lap of the contest after eighty minutes of racing. Pit stops and refuelling are naturally necessary in the 6 hour race, and after taking over the wheel, Olivier drove the large American sports car to the dedicated refuelling station. With so many cars entered, it was busy not only on the track but also at the refuelling station, forcing Olivier to reverse his Ford, as often happens. However, the GT40’s gearbox broke at exactly this moment, leaving Olivier stranded in a potentially race-winning car that could only drive backwards. A painful retirement before darkness had even fallen, in a race where DHG Racing had started so strongly, was all that remained.
At Spa-Francorchamps, David and Olivier shared the Lola T70 MK3B in the 60 minute Masters Historic Sports Car race. During qualifying on a dry track, they set a 2:29.300, securing third on the grid in the large field and giving the father and son duo an excellent starting position for Sunday morning’s race. Olivier started the race, which was held on a soaking wet Spa-Francorchamps circuit, and got away brilliantly. Thanks to an excellent start, the large, heavy, and powerful Lola stayed in the wake of the leader, and after several laps, Olivier began to slowly but surely apply pressure to the two cars ahead of him. Trailing by less than two seconds, Olivier began the seventh lap of the race. However, this proved to be the high point, as an issue with the alternator forced the Lola to be parked. A disappointing end to a promising race.
Nicky Pastorelli drove the first race in the Historic Touring Car Trophy with the Ford Capri and, with a car that DHG Racing is still developing, proved more than capable of keeping up with the best in the field. A third-place time in qualifying provided DHG Racing with a great springboard to fight for the podium, but that proved to be a bridge too far in the race. Fifth place in the ten-lap contest was the highest achievable result, primarily because the Capri’s brakes began to fail early in the race. For safety reasons, it was decided not to participate in the second race of the Historic Touring Car Trophy.
A similar choice had to be made in the combined Woodcote and Stirling Moss Trophy, where David Hart achieved the eighth-fastest time during qualifying. Upon closer inspection, the Jaguar engine of the Lister Costin proved to be the culprit. With the power unit on the verge of terminal damage, the difficult but correct decision was made to keep the Lister sidelined.
And so, the Spa Six Hours weekend for DHG Racing was one of two halves: on one side, enormous potential and lightning-fast lap times, and on the other, a great deal of bad luck. But as they say: “that’s racing”.
