18-hour update: ROWE Racing BMW still out front, heartbreak for long-time Pro-Am leader

18-hour update: ROWE Racing BMW still out front, heartbreak for long-time Pro-Am leader

ROWE Racing held the advantage with six hours remaining at Spa-Francorchamps, but there was heartbreak for the long-time Pro-Am leader. The #98 ROWE BMW moved back to the front as pit stops cycled through, with the #47 KCMG Porsche taking a splash and dash to put it back on sequence. 

This set the order as the #98 ahead of the #88 Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG, followed by the KCMG machine and the fourth-placed #55 AMG Team GruppeM Mercedes-AMG. This quartet moved on to the same stint sequence during a safety car period caused by the #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW sliding into the gravel. 

A further safety car period came not long after when the #24 Herberth Motorsport Porsche was tipped into the gravel by the #19 Emil Frey Racing Lamborghini. This all but ended the chances of the #24, which had led its class from the sixth hour. Indeed, the car retired soon after the race went green again, pulling over with an errant left-rear wheel. 

This promoted Garage 59 back to top spot in Pro-Am, with Miguel Ramos running 22nd overall in the #188 McLaren. The #30 Team WRT Audi retained the Silver Cup lead in 13th overall and with no serious pressure from the similar #99 car from Attempto Racing.

Iron Dames continued to lead in the Gold Cup. Teenage driver Doriane Pin was at the wheel of the #83 Ferrari, circulating in 19th overall and with a two-lap advantage over its closest contender. The two-car Bronze Cup race remained remarkably close, with the #20 SPS Mercedes-AMG heading the #35 Walkenhorst BMW by 12 seconds after 18 hours of racing.