Balfe finishes in top five in 24-hour race at Spa

COUNTY DRIVER HAD ONLY MET TEAM-MATES HOURS BEFORE GT WORLD CHALLENGE EUROPE

- writes Peter Scherer.

SHAUN Balfe returned to GT racing for the first time this season when he joined the Garage 59 line-up at Spa Francorchamps for the annual GT World Challenge Europe 24-hour race.

Partnered with Portuguese driver Guilherme Oliveira and fellow Brits Jack Hawksworth and Thomas Fleming in a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, they qualified 49th overall and 12th in the Bronze Cup class.

"It had been difficult in the qualifying sessions as it rained, but not enough to make it wet," said Balfe, of Eaton, near Melton Mowbray.

"Being a four-driver team I think we suffered more, as we had to go out in the rain.

"Our position wasn’t a true reflection of what we could do, due to the conditions."

It was lights out for 24hrs from 4.30pm with Fleming taking the opening stint.