The 2026 edition of Spa-Classic transformed the legendary Circuit de Spa‑Francorchamps into a living museum of motorsport this weekend, as more than 400 historic racing cars thundered through the Ardennes in front of thousands of fans.
Held from 22 to 24 May, the event once again blended historic racing, endurance battles and iconic machinery from multiple decades of motorsport history. Organised by Peter Auto, Spa-Classic has grown into one of Europe’s premier historic racing festivals since its creation in 2011.
GT3 Revival Series Makes Spa Debut
One of the biggest talking points of the weekend was the debut appearance of the GT3 Revival Series at Spa. Modern-era GT3 icons from the mid-2000s and early 2010s returned to the circuit, bringing back the unmistakable sounds of naturally aspirated V10s and thunderous V8 engines.
Fans lined the fences at Eau Rouge and Blanchimont as classic GT3 machinery battled wheel-to-wheel in changing Ardennes weather conditions. The new category added a fresh layer to the traditionally vintage-focused event and quickly became one of the busiest paddock attractions of the weekend.
Group C Cars Steal the Show
As always, the Group C prototypes proved to be crowd favourites. The sight — and especially the sound — of Porsche 962s, Jaguars and Spice prototypes flying through Raidillon brought spectators back to the golden age of endurance racing. Historic Group C sessions delivered some of the fastest laps of the entire weekend, with drivers pushing the cars aggressively despite intermittent rain showers.
Throughout Saturday afternoon, fans packed the grandstands and spectator banks overlooking Eau Rouge as the iconic prototypes climbed the hill at full speed, often disappearing into low clouds hanging above the Ardennes forest.
More Than Just Racing
Away from the circuit action, the paddock atmosphere remained one of the defining features of Spa-Classic. More than 800 club cars were displayed around the venue, while fans had direct access to many of the historic race cars and teams.
Classic Porsches, Ford GT40s, BMW touring cars and vintage endurance machines filled the paddock lanes throughout the weekend, turning the event into a rolling automotive festival as much as a race meeting.
For many spectators, the atmosphere around the circuit — from the smell of fuel and barbecue smoke in the campsites to the sound of engines echoing through the forest — remains what makes Spa-Classic unique among European historic racing events.
Spa-Classic Continues to Grow
With new categories joining the schedule and attendance continuing to rise, Spa-Classic further cemented itself this weekend as one of the most important historic motorsport events in Europe.
By Sunday evening, as transporters rolled out of the paddock and the Ardennes fog returned over Spa-Francorchamps, fans were already looking ahead to next year’s edition — another reminder that historic motorsport remains very much alive in Belgium.
