[woodcote]

A hugely enjoyable 24 hour race with a wonderful ebb-and-flow, relatively few interruptions and some stand-out dramatic moments. 25 minutes of highlights doesn't do it justice, but captures some of the suspense and excitement of the final 5-6 hours.

For the second half of the race, it was a ten-car battle for the win - Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW and McLaren all having at least one car in with a shout. Audi had an uncharacteristic nightmare in the top class, but did win the Silver Cup. The Iron Dames made history with their Gold Cup win - the first time an all-female team has won their class at a major international GT race. Ferrari also claimed the Pro-Am victory, with the Bronze Cup won by a Mercedes driven by an amateur team including a woman Saudi driver.

There's something very healthy about GT3 racing at the moment - and the SRO's Balance of Performance is a big part of that. Eight cars and five manufacturers finishing a 24-hour race on the same lap after so much green-flag running is an utterly compelling spectacle. Lap times of the top cars are almost identical, although the different makes are stronger in different sectors. There are no overtaking gadgets - no DRS, KERS or push-to-pass - meaning it's all about driving skill and strategy. An hour sprint race is fun, the three and six hour races much more about strategy - and the Spa 24 hours is simply sublime.