live zone - en direct

2010-08-01T05:04:00.001+02:00

The retirement of Kuppens/Palttala/De Doncker concludes our live-blog.

More news and pictures to follow in the days ahead.

2010-08-01T03:52:00.002+02:00

Kuppens/Palttala & De Doncker were forced to retire from the 24 hours of Spa at 4 o' clock this morning. Kuppens ran out of fuel on his inlap and stalled the car at Blanchimont, barely 200 metres before the entrance of the pitlane.

2010-08-01T03:40:00.001+02:00

Kuppens remains 15th.

2010-08-01T03:06:00.000+02:00

At the 11 hour mark: #98 Ford GT3 of Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala 15th.

2010-08-01T03:05:00.000+02:00

Kuppens back behind the wheel for a double stint.

2010-08-01T01:33:00.001+02:00

Fuel and a fresh set of Michelin slicks for Markus Palttala.

Palttala rejoins in 15th position.

2010-08-01T01:20:00.001+02:00

Safety Car deployed. A United Motorsport car spun off and hit the tyre barriers at Les Combes.

2010-08-01T01:01:00.001+02:00

Both MARC VDS Ford GTs are having problems to start after the pitstop. The cars are kick-started manually by the mecanics.

2010-08-01T00:58:00.000+02:00

Kuppens/Palttala/De Doncker 14th after 9 hours of racing.
Palttala in the car for a double relay.

2010-07-31T23:18:00.001+02:00

Kuppens still 13th.

2010-07-31T23:11:00.003+02:00

Pictures: night pitstop

2010-07-31T23:04:00.005+02:00

Meanwhile, Miss 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps has been elected. We don't know who won...

Photo:

2010-07-31T22:51:00.001+02:00

At 22.40 Kuppens took over from De Doncker. Renaud underway in the rain for a double stint.

Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala still 13th overall and 6th in the GT3 Class.

2010-07-31T21:19:00.002+02:00

The car in 12th position, one of the Phoenix Audi's, is on the same lap.
The sister Marc VDS car of Leinders/Duez/Martin is 11th.

Heavy rain over Spa.

2010-07-31T21:01:00.002+02:00

Update at the 5 hour mark.

The Marc VDS Ford #98 is running in 13th place 5 hours into the race.
Eric De Doncker is currently behind the wheel of the car.

Renaud Kuppens will take over from him at 10 o' clock.

2010-07-31T18:56:00.001+02:00

After three hours of racing the #98 Ford GT of Kuppens is in 14th position. Palttala still at the wheel. It is no longer raining over Spa.

2010-07-31T18:51:00.000+02:00

It is raining above Spa. Teams are getting ready to put on wet weather tyres.

2010-07-31T18:50:00.000+02:00

#98 Ford GT3 of Kuppens/Palttala/De Doncker 15th.

2010-07-31T18:38:00.001+02:00

Safety car in - Paltalla 17th

2010-07-31T18:27:00.001+02:00

first Safety car period of the race after the #72 Audi caught fire at La Source

2010-07-31T18:18:00.001+02:00

Photo of the first pitstop of the race

2010-07-31T18:10:00.001+02:00

Grid Girls gallery uploaded! (click on picture to open)

2010-07-31T18:08:00.000+02:00

Palttala in 20th position.

2010-07-31T18:02:00.000+02:00

Palttala/Kuppens/De Doncker 21st now. Lapping in the same times as before

2010-07-31T17:55:00.001+02:00

Kuppens back out on track. Air intake & left rear wheel slightly damaged.

2010-07-31T17:52:00.001+02:00

Kuppens pushed in the box after a contact with the Gulf Aston Martin. More information to follow!

2010-07-31T17:46:00.000+02:00

Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala 18th!

2010-07-31T17:35:00.001+02:00

The #Spa24hours have started. De Doncker/Kuppens/Palttala running 19th. Kuppens took over from De Doncker at the one-hour mark!

2010-07-31T13:20:00.000+02:00

#GT1world Kuppens\Palttala 15th in championship race after eventful race.

2010-07-31T10:42:00.000+02:00

#98 Marc VDS Ford GT3 of Kuppens/Palttala & De Doncker 15th in warm-up

2010-07-31T09:18:00.000+02:00

gt1world warm-up: Kuppens/Palttala 12th.
GT3 warm-up underway

2010-07-30T18:39:00.003+02:00

New batch of gt1world pictures uploaded to the gallery

2010-07-30T18:33:00.002+02:00

new batch of 24 hours pictures uploaded to the gallery

2010-07-30T18:32:00.000+02:00

gt1world: Kuppens/Palttala 15th in qualifying race at Spa!

2010-07-30T10:18:00.001+02:00

#GT1world #41 Kuppens/Palttala eliminated in Q1. Palttala spun on his hotlap.

Kuppens/Palttala to start on the last row.

2010-07-30T10:18:00.000+02:00

#GT1world #41 Kuppens/Palttala eliminated in Q1. Palttala spun on his hotlap.

Kuppens/Palttala to start on the last row.

2010-07-30T09:20:00.002+02:00

Combined result of the Spa 24 hours qualifying session here (link)

Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala to start from 20th on the grid at 15.00h on Saturday in the Total 24 hours of Spa.

2010-07-30T09:18:00.000+02:00

#gt1world qualifying to start in 25 minutes. Dry but damp track.

2010-07-29T22:43:00.002+02:00

Palttala improves. The #98 Ford GT3 is now up in 15th position.

Q2 was briefly interrupted due to an oil trace from Radillion to Les Combes.

2010-07-29T21:29:00.002+02:00

Kuppens/Palttala/De Doncker surprised by rain in the first qualifying session. The #98 Marc VDS Racing Ford GT is down in 26th position.

It is not raining in Spa. Still everything to play for in the remaining 2 sessions.

Q2 to start in 15 minutes.

2010-07-29T18:44:00.002+02:00

Night qualifying sessions for the #Spa24hours to start in 45 minutes. Sunshine over Spa!

2010-07-29T18:38:00.002+02:00

#gt1world pre-qualifying: Kuppens/Palttala 6th on #41 @marcvdsracing Ford GT1

#Spa24hours pre-qualifying: De Doncker/Palttala/Kuppens 14th on #98 @marcvdsracing Ford GT3

2010-07-29T18:28:00.002+02:00

#gt1world Pictures free practice Kuppens/Leinders #marcvdsracing in the gallery

2010-07-29T18:08:00.000+02:00

#gt1world Kuppens/Palttala 6th in Pre-qualifying.

2010-07-29T17:28:00.001+02:00

20 minute to go in Pre-Qual. It's raining again above spa. Kuppens/Palttala currently on p6. No improvements at the moment.

2010-07-29T17:28:00.000+02:00

20 minute to go in Pre-Qual. It's raining again above spa. Kuppens/Palttala currently on p6. No improvements at the moment.

2010-07-29T16:39:00.000+02:00

#GT1world Pre-qualifying underway. Kuppens/Palttala hope to confirm their early pace.

2010-07-29T16:35:00.000+02:00

#Spa24hours Renaud Kuppens completed his first laps in the Ford GT3. Despite the rain,Renaud was upbeat. "The car is a lot easier to drive then the GT1"

2010-07-29T12:28:00.000+02:00

##GT1world Track conditions continue to improve. 20 minutes to go. Palttala currently iin P5.

2010-07-29T12:02:00.000+02:00

#GT1world Free practice underway. Wet track but no rain. Renaud in the car. times are starting to thumble as the drivers pass on to slicks.

2010-07-29T10:44:00.002+02:00

Free practice 1 of #Spa24hours over. Wet track. Marc VDS Ford #98 of Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala 15th.

2010-07-29T08:53:00.001+02:00

5 minutes to start of Spa24hours FP1. Downpour over the circuit!

2010-07-28T23:28:00.001+02:00

9.00 start of the race week-end. 90 minutes free practice session for the #spa24hours

2010-07-28T23:22:00.003+02:00

Photo: #Spa24hours class of 2010

2010-07-28T18:16:00.001+02:00

Parade in full swing!

2010-07-28T14:38:00.003+02:00

Typical Spa weather expected this week-end! Rain showers throughout Thursday, dry on Friday for #gt1world race and rain showers throughout the #Spa24hours race.

Check out the rain-radar

2010-07-28T11:17:00.002+02:00

Latest version of the entry list released!

Kuppens/De Doncker/Palttala no longer on car #99, but on the Marc VDS Ford #98 with yellow mirrors!

2010-07-28T10:37:00.004+02:00

Marc VDS 24 hours of Spa drivers

2010-07-28T10:35:00.001+02:00

Welcome on our live blog.