Steller Motorsport Debuts Corvette Z06 GT3.R at 24 Hours of Spa
In a significant moment for both Steller Motorsport and Chevrolet, the British team will field the Corvette Z06 GT3.R in its debut at the 24 Hours of Spa, marking the American brand’s return to the prestigious event for the first time since 2011. The #24 car, adorned in a fresh livery, is competing in the Silver Cup alongside another Corvette entry, signifying a renewed commitment to GT racing from General Motors through its customer-focused approach.
Steller Motorsport has demonstrated competitiveness this season, highlighted by a second-place finish at Circuit Paul Ricard and a solid but unfortunate showing at Monza, where a mid-race Safety Car impacted their results. Currently, the team sits fourth in the Endurance Cup Silver Teams’ standings ahead of this marquee event.
Drivers Lorcan Hanafin and Matisse Lismont, who contributed to the Circuit Paul Ricard success, will be joined by Spa 24 newcomers Daniel Ali and Olivier Hart. Team manager Max Daymond expressed optimism, stating, “A class podium would be a great result, but first, we’ve got to finish it. That’s the main aim at the moment—maintaining a clean, consistent race.”
Hanafin echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of finishing as a testament to the team and driver capabilities. “Finishing the race is key; anything beyond that is positive,” he noted.
This iteration of the race will be the longest in Steller’s history, as their transition to the GT World Challenge Europe surpasses the race lengths familiar to them from the British GT and Michelin Le Mans Cup series. However, Daymond believes the team’s prior experience in shorter endurance races mitigates any disadvantage, stating, “We’ve got lots of experience in the team, which helps immensely.”
Preparation for the 24 Hours has been rigorous since the team received their new cars in December. Although the team faced challenges and misfortune in earlier races, Daymond highlighted their continuous development and growing reliability with the Z06 GT3.R. “It’s proven itself to be reliable,” he remarked, referencing recent successes in America.
The stakes are high as Steller Motorsport participates in a pivotal chapter of Corvette’s GT3 program under manager Jessica Dane. “Having cars at Spa will be really exciting,” she commented. While aiming for an overall victory, she acknowledged the logistical challenges, noting the importance of balancing customer involvement and global presence in racing.
Steller Motorsport benefits from close support from GM and Pratt Miller Engineering at the event. “We have a huge team of people available which is especially helpful as we learn a new car,” Daymond confirmed.
With the Corvette Z06 GT3.R already victorious at Daytona and achieving podium finishes at Le Mans, the potential for Steller Motorsport to enhance GM’s customer program with further accolades at Spa remains promising.
