Amsterdam, Netherlands – 23 July 2018 – INSIGHT TV, the world’s leading 4K UHD channel, has commissioned new action-packed show, Endurance: 24 Hours of Spa, which goes behind-the-scenes at one of the world’s toughest endurance races “Total 24 Hours of Spa”. The event, which this year marks its landmark 70 edition, takes place on Saturday 28 July in Belgium and is the highlight of the Blancpain GT Series and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Each 4 x 44-minute episode will provide motor racing fans and petrol heads with coverage of six-hour sections of the race, as well as an additional 6 x 11-minute mini profiles. The show, will feature world-class drivers from six leading teams across the series including Bentley, Garage 59, Grasser, Emily Frey, Oman and Strakka. It will document the grit and determination that the drivers and teams face as well as the mental strength it takes to be part of this grueling 24-hour challenge.
Each episode of Endurance: 24 Hours of Spa will tackle a theme or topic that’s relevant to specific stages of the race including: the history of endurance racing and technology used; race strategies and inspirations; pit crew cohesion and dynamics; psychology of endurance racing; the final hours of the event and much more.
“This is a spectacular race that sees top drivers from all over the world vie for one of the most prestigious trophies that the motor racing world has to offer,” says Frank le Mair, Executive Producer, Insight TV, “It’s a challenging show to produce in an environment where tensions are high and the narrative is constantly changing. We plan to get under the skin of these teams and drivers to find out what it takes to compete at this dangerous level.”
Stephane Ratel, Founder & CEO SRO Motorsports Group: “The Total 24 Hours of Spa is undoubtedly the highlight of our season, so I am thrilled that this new production from Insight TV will take the race to a wider audience.
While Spa is the ultimate test of machinery, it is above all about people. From the drivers who chase victory to the mechanics, marshals, and fans, the human drama that plays out over 24 hours is what makes this race so special. What’s more, the circuit itself is among the most iconic and fearsome on the planet. The 24 Hours is its most challenging event and I am certain that these elements will combine to create a fascinating documentary.
With multiple topics covered, from history through to cutting-edge technology, I believe that viewers will gain a valuable insight into the event. The Total 24 Hours of Spa is at once highly complex and beautifully simple and I look forward to seeing how Insight TV brings these dynamics to life on the screen.”
###
About INSIGHT TV:
INSIGHT TV specialises in Entertainment, Action Sports and Lifestyle content all filmed in 4K UHD HDR, reaching millions of homes in Europe, Asia and the USA. Committed to pushing the boundaries of linear and non-linear broadcasting, INSIGHT TV’s range of programming combines epic storytelling in the highest quality.
www.insight.tv
Twitter / LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube
INSIGHT TV PR & Coms Contact:
Poppy Mason-Watts
E: poppy.mason-watts@insight.tv
The Punch Point Group Contact:
Reid Spencer
M: 240-688-0079
E: reid@punchpointgroup.com
About SRO Motorsports Group:
SRO Motorsports Group, the architect of modern GT racing
Over the past 25 years SRO has specialised in the promotion and organisation of motorsport series around the world. Inextricably linked with GT racing’s revival in the early 1990s, currently SRO predominantly promotes series that adhere to the successful GT3 and GT4 regulations. Indeed, these rules – a common framework allowing manufacturers, teams and drivers to compete equally with one another – have helped to establish SRO as the global leader in customer GT racing.
Today, SRO’s influence and organisation can be seen around the world. Its flagship continues to be the European-based Blancpain GT Series, which features both the Sprint and Endurance Cups. Its annual highlight remains the iconic Total 24 Hours of Spa.The same Pirelli tyres and Balance of Performance parameters governing the Blancpain GT Series have also been adopted in the United States by the Pirelli World Challenge (of which SRO is a shareholder), while SRO expanded its successful platform East in 2017 by establishing Blancpain GT Series Asia.
In addition, the world’s best GT races from all four corners of the globe are brought together under the Intercontinental GT Challenge. The 2018 edition features four events – the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, the Total 24 Hours of Spa, the inaugural Suzuka 10 Hours, and the California 8 Hours of Laguna Seca.
SRO is also strong domestically. The multi-class British GT Championship, over which it has presided since 2005, pairs GT3 with GT4 machinery. The FFSA French GT Championship, for many years run by SRO, returned to the fold in 2017, and was added to the existing GT4 European Series. GT4’s incredibly successful first season in France provided SRO with the blueprint and confidence to expand the class’ European footprint further. Three new regional series to support the flourishing GT4 class have been added in 2018: GT4 Nordic European Cup, GT4 Central European Cup and GT4 Belgium Cup.
In addition, SRO’s world-renowned Balance of Performance regulations are licensed by other series running GT3 and/or GT4 machinery, such as Super GT in Japan, the Australian GT Championship, the ADAC GT Masters and the VLN in Germany and the China GT Championship. SRO also works closely with the FIA when organising its prestigious Macau FIA GT World Cup race.
While Macau caters solely for professional teams and drivers, SRO also understands the important role amateurs play in GT racing’s global success and sustainability. That is why it operates the SRO Race Centre by MMC – a high-level technical centre at Circuit Paul Ricard in southern France – and Curbstone Track Events, which provide the ultimate track driving opportunities on world-renowned circuits. Many of its clients have subsequently graduated to the Blancpain GT Sports Club, the first competitive stepping stone towards gaining the confidence and racecraft required to compete in a Pro/Am environment.
SRO continues to focus on new initiatives that meet the demands of a fast-changing motorsport industry. In light of this, the organisation will launch the inaugural Bahrain GT Festival in November 2018, working in collaboration with the FIA and the Bahrain International Circuit.
This end-of-season event will feature two new standalone races: the FIA GT Nations Cup for GT3 cars, and the SRO GT4 World Final. The Nations Cup will see drivers competing for international honour in the colours of their home countries, while the GT4 contest will bring together the global elite from this rapidly-growing category.
What’s more, SRO will also organise the first GT4 Europe Final at Germany’s Hockenheim circuit in October, creating yet another competitive challenge for the continent’s many GT4 racers.
SRO Motorsports Group is chaired by company founder and CEO Stephane Ratel and has offices in London, Paris, Liège and Hong Kong. Its dedicated team of full-time and freelance staff work with the support of numerous national sporting authorities and sanctioning bodies to offer teams, drivers and manufacturers the world’s best professional, Pro/Am and amateur GT racing platforms.
Website
www.blancpain-gt-series.com
www.total24hours.com
Social Media
Facebook : 24HoursofSpa @24hoursofspa / Blancpaingtseries @blancpaingtseries
Twitter : www.twitter.com/24hoursofspa #Spa24H
Instagram : total24hoursofspa #Spa24H / blancpaingtseries #blancpaingt
Blancpain GT Series app available on the App store & Google Play
