13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dan Harper on why this could be his year at the ‘big one' after years of bad luck
The Hillsborough driver is making his fourth start at the twice-around-the-clock race with his regular German co-driver Max Hesse, and one-off team-mate, Austrian Philipp Eng.
There is a real sense that this could finally be Harper's year as he has had to endure bitter disappointment on his three previous visits.
Back in 2022, his silverware hunt was banished by a puncture, with the same fate befalling him last year, while in 2023, the car Harper was sharing had to be retired after it got caught up in an incident during the night.
Only last Sunday, Harper and Hesse scored a first GTD Pro victory in the America IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen International in New York State.
A day earlier, Rowe Racing triumphed at the Nürburgring 24 Hours to take BMW's total victory count around the famous 'Green Hell', in Germany, to 21 from all starts.
Eng, meanwhile, has an enviable Spa record and is one of the most decorated drivers in the history of the Ardennes classic having won there three times, twice with Rowe Racing.
'I'm looking forward to the big one this weekend,' said Harper, who is being reunited with Rowe Racing for the first time since the World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup title decider in Saudi Arabia last December.
'We have had some bad luck at Spa these the last few years; on every occasion, we have been in contention for a podium, including 2024 we were fighting for the victory right up until the end only for a puncture before the last pit stop to deny us.
'We are competitive there which is encouraging, the BMW has been very strong there, and Rowe Racing are a fantastic and well-organised team who do very well in the longer endurance races, as they demonstrated at the Nürburgring last weekend with their win.
'Everyone in the team is naturally in good spirits, and myself and Max arrive at Spa on the back of our first win in IMSA, so yeah, I am really looking forward to it,' continued the 24-year-old.
'Having Philipp onboard is a boost, too. He has a great record a Spa with three victories, most recently in 2023, so I'm very excited to be sharing the car with him for the first time.'
A 75-car field featuring machinery from 10 manufacturers such as Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini and Porsche will line up for the 77th instalment of the 24 Hours of Spa, which begins on Saturday afternoon at 3.30pm UK time.
