Mario Farnbacher made a successful maiden appearance in the Total 24 Hours of Spa with Honda Team Motul Honda NSX GT3. The Ansbach-born driver finished sixth despite torrential rain plaguing much of the race and a five-hour red-flag period.
The race week began in scorching heat, and the high temperatures during Qualifying didn’t suit the set-up on the Honda NSX GT3. With Farnbacher and teammates Renger van der Zande and Bertrand Baguette starting the race from P33, the Honda Team Motul would have plenty to do come race day.
Thankfully, the weather for the race was a completely different story. The 35°C heat was replaced by torrential rain, making consistency and minimizing mistakes the keys to the Top 10 finish the team were aiming for.
“The conditions at times were horrendous,” Mario Farnbacher said after the race. “But the car was super quick in the wet, so the weather really benefited us. It was a lot of fun to drive in, too!”
The race was red-flagged for some five hours early on Sunday morning, and resumed with the #30 machine running well among the top 10. Farnbacher and his teammates had great pace in the car as the race drew to a conclusion. After 24 hours, the #30 Honda NSX GT3 crossed the line bruised and battered in sixth position.
“I’m happy with the result,” the 27-year-old German said. “We came here to Spa with the goal of finishing in the Top 10, and we achieved that with a solid P6 finish. I think it has been a valuable experience for the whole team.”
The next date on the calendar for Mario Farnbacher sees the German driver return to more familiar surroundings in the US. The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship continues on the weekend of 2 to 4 August with the Road Race Showcase at Road America, where Farnbacher will be looking to extend his lead in the GTD championship.
