This year’s Total 24 Hours of Spa will see 12 different manufacturers competing for glory following the addition of a Honda NSX GT3 to an already packed grid.
The marque will return to Spa for the 70th edition of the endurance classic, joining fellow Japanese entrants Lexus and Nissan among a dozen globally significant brands. Indeed, this will match the record number of GT3 manufacturers present at the twice-around-the-clock race, which was first set in 2012.
Fittingly, it comes not only at the 70th running of the 24 Hours but on the 25th anniversary of the most recent participation by an NSX at the event. In 1993 the brand took pole position thanks to its sole representative, a Seikel Motorsport-run NSX enterted by Honda Belgium, with Bertrand Gachot, Armin Hahne and Kazuo Shimizu at the wheel.
As per the Blancpain GT Series sporting regulations the current NSX GT3 is ineligible to contest the premier Pro class at Spa, but it will nevertheless find stiff opposition in the highly competitive Pro-Am category.
Though untested in the Blancpain GT Series, the NSX GT3 has already proven its pedigree in the United States. Competing under the Acura banner, the car has been a race-winner in the Pirelli World Challenge and took runner-up in class at this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona.
JAS Motorsport, who are responsible for car assembly and sales in Europe, will provide technical assistance at Spa as part of their collaborative global programme. As was the case in 1993, Honda will once again be represented by a single entry this year, with drivers set to be announced at a later date.
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