Sky Tempesta Racing Continues Remarkable Podium Run, Finishing 3rd at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
Sky Tempesta Racing, claimed another remarkable result to continue their incredible run of podiums in the 2023 season, showcasing their outstanding performance at the highly anticipated CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. The team’s #93 McLaren, piloted by drivers Chris Froggatt, Eddie Cheever III, Jon Hui, and Jeffrey Schmidt, staged an epic comeback, starting from P14 in the Bronze class (P46 overall) to finish on the podium. This achievement not only obtained a third-place podium in their race but also catapulted them into the lead of the Bronze Cup championship.
The CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, known as the most challenging GT race in the world, was a rollercoaster ride for the Sky Tempesta Racing team. The team faced their fair share of challenges throughout the race. At the start of the week saw, the team struggled to find a good balance in the car due to constantly changing track conditions. Qualifying, which started dry and ended with heavy rain, meant that despite their best efforts the drivers were unable to extract the most out of the #93 McLaren, resulting in P46 overall and P14 out of 21 in the Bronze class.
Starting in the middle of the pack, the team was focused on maximising the GT World Challenge European championship points that would be given out at the 6, 12 and 24-hour mark. It was a tricky start for Chris Froggatt due to a false neutral, meaning a two-place drop despite his best efforts in the starting laps. A 30-second penalty due to track limit infringements then dropped the car back another 2 positions and compromised their points scoring position, ultimately crossing the 6-hour mark in P5. However, the team quickly recovered from the setbacks and rotated their four-man driving crew to claim multiple positions.
At the 12-hour mark, Sky Tempesta Racing found themselves in a strong position, occupying second place in the Bronze class, leading to a healthy points haul and setting them up nicely for the closing half of the race. However, a brake change issue during the mandatory technical stop cost the team precious time. Undeterred, the whole team showcased their determination and delivered consistent, quick lap times, propelling them back into contention for podium positions.
In the final stages of the race, Eddie Cheever closed in on the second-placed Bronze class Porsche, poised for a fight to the very end. Unfortunately, a technical issue during the final pit stop forced an unscheduled fuel stop, removing them from contention for a top-2 finish. Nonetheless, the team’s resilience and unwavering spirit secured a commendable third-place finish in the Bronze class (P18 overall).
Sky Tempesta Racing, supported by Garage 59, 3rd place result is impressive considering the numerous issues that the team was faced with during the world’s most unpredictable and challenging GT 24-hour race. The result was also good enough to hand the team the lead in the Drivers’ Standings for the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup in the Bronze class by 4 points as they head into the final part of the season. The team will be looking to carry their impressive momentum of podium finishes as they head to the next round of the GT World Challenge Europe championship at Nürburgring in Germany from 29th to 30th of July, 2023.
Upcoming Intelligent Money British GT Championship Race:
Portimão (Portugal) – 22-23 Jul 2023
Brands Hatch (UK) – 9 – 11 Sep 2023
Donnington (UK) – 21 – 22 Oct 2023
Upcoming Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup races:
Nürburgring (Germany) – 29-30 Jul 2023
Barcelona (Spain) – 29 Sep – 1 Oct 2023
Upcoming Intercontinental GT Challenge races:
Indianapolis (USA) 8 Hour – 5-7 Oct 2023
Gulf 12 Hours (UAE) 12 Hours – 8-10 Dec 2023
QUOTES
Jonathan Hui | Driver, #93 Sky Tempesta Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
“There were many highs and lows throughout this edition of the 24 Hours of Spa. The physical and mental demands to compete at this level are hard to describe, and that’s probably why many people call it the toughest GT race in the world. We came here with a main goal to take over the GT World Challenge Europe championship lead, and also to consolidate my position in the Intercontinental GT Challenge Independent Cup standings as the leader, and both of these objectives were achieved so a big thanks to the whole team for all their efforts. Of course, it would’ve been a dream to win the race too but I’m delighted that another fellow Hong Kong racer and friend Antares Au took the crown. We’ll be back again to hunt for the top step.”
Chris Froggatt | Driver, #93 Sky Tempesta Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
“This race is always a rollercoaster of emotions. We struggled at the start of the weekend with car balance. Had a really difficult Qualifying, resulting in a poor starting position. But, I think we had a really good mentality over the weekend and approach to the race. We made the least mistakes or infringements as drivers (compared to ourselves in previous years) and kept grinding through the day and night, with the podium positions always in sight. Our luck changed through the night and we found ourselves in second, eventually finishing third due to a few issues out of our control. I am very proud of the work my teammates and crew put into the race this weekend. It was mentally and physically tough but worth every second, walking away with another Spa podium and leading the Championship!”
Eddie Cheever III | Driver, #93 Sky Tempesta Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
“We are coming out of the 24 Hours of Spa as leaders of a very difficult championship so I couldn’t be more proud of the team. The goal was obviously to win it and we had all the ingredients to do so but it just wasn’t meant to be this year. I want to thank the team for their dedication and hard work on this great achievement.”
Jeffrey Schmidt | Driver, #93 Sky Tempesta Racing McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
“It was a pleasure sharing the Sky Tempesta Racing McLaren with Chris, Jon and Eddie. Everyone in the team did a flawless job, which secured us a spot on the podium after starting on P14 in the class due to the weather chaos in the qualification. Being back on the podium in the toughest GT3 race in the world is always something to remember! A big thanks to my teammates and the Sky Tempesta team for their trust in me in helping the guys to get the well-deserved trophy. I wish them a very successful second half of the season – go and get that title!”