Mies achieves third place in Spa 24 Hours

27 July 2015 While heading for his fourth podium place in succession in the toughest GT3 race, Christopher Mies had to overcome many hurdles. Fuelled by ambition, the 26-year-old attempted to burn the fastest lap time into the Spa tarmac right in the first qualifying session. The driver from Heiligenhausen, Germany, was running well but, five minutes before the end, lost grip and slipped off track. In the second qualifying Mies & company secured their participation in the final session, the super Pole. But there was another issue. Mies: “Actually, it was a great shootout. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up of two tyres – that cost us time and resulted in 16th place.”

Shortly before the start of the iconic endurance race dark-grey rain clouds were in the sky above the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Pouring rain, a slightly drying track, followed by heavier precipitation required six caution periods and led to numerous position changes in the first six hours. One of the victims of these tricky conditions was Mies’ number ‘5’ Audi R8 LMS. “That was one of my toughest three-hour stints ever. We made a mistake in our gamble and switched to slicks too early. We had a hard time of ploughing our way through the field.”

From position 26 Mies/Thiim/Mamerow advanced to fourth place after three fourths of the race distance covered. Mies and his team-mates benefitted from technical issues of their rivals one hour before the end of the race and recovered an additional position. Mies clinched the third podium place in the Spa 24 Hours for the third consecutive time. “Spa was brutal again this year. It was one of my most difficult races. We had to cope with many setbacks but were well-rewarded with our podium place,” Mies beamed.

The next round of the Blancpain Endurance Series will be held at the Nürburgring at the end of September. Mies will stop in between in Down Under. In the Australian GT series he is set on making his next step in the battle for the drivers’ title.