CrowdStrike by Riley and the No. 4 CrowdStrike Mercedes-AMG GT3 claimed victory in the Pro-Am category of the centenary CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa – outlasting and out-racing the competition in one of the most prestigious endurance events.
George Kurtz, Colin Braun, Nicky Catsburg and Ian James teamed up for a hard-fought victory in the world’s premier GT3 race, the crown jewel on the SRO Motorsports calendar. The quartet completed 472 laps in a race marked by challenging weather and a high rate of attrition in the 66-car field.
Kurtz claimed his second 24 Hours of Spa victory in three years, while Catsburg secured back-to-back Pro-Am class wins. Braun and James celebrated their first career triumphs at the event.
CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa Race Overview
Kurtz, Braun, Catsburg, and James drove a steady and clean race, moving up from their starting positions of fifth in Pro-Am and 60th overall.
The team fought its way through the field, taking its first class lead in the 11th hour, just before rain soaked the Spa circuit. At that point, it became a contest between the CrowdStrike Mercedes-AMG and the No. 100 McLaren. The two entries swapped the lead back and forth during the final eight hours, but the speed and reliability of the CrowdStrike Mercedes-AMG proved too much to overcome. The No. 4 finished first in the Pro-Am cup, and 29th overall.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge America season resumes for CrowdStrike by Riley at Virginia International Raceway on July 19-21, with full race and qualifying coverage available on SRO Motorsports’ official YouTube channel.
CrowdStrike by Riley Driver Race-Winning Quotes from CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa George Kurtz: “The entire team did a fantastic job all week. The CrowdStrike by Riley guys gave the four of us a great Mercedes-AMG. It really was a war of attrition, so staying out of trouble was the name of the game. We were able to keep circulating and stay out of trouble more than our competition. We kept cranking off laps, so hats off to my co-drivers and team for doing a great job.”
“Until the race is over, anything can happen. I’ve been close in many long races and seen them slip away. Colin, Nicky and Ian did a great job to make sure we could make it to the finish for the win. Winning at Spa for the centenary running is definitely a big honor and bucket-list race to win. It’s one of the world’s biggest events, and I’m grateful to the CrowdStrike and Riley guys for giving us a great effort.”
Colin Braun: “What a great day and great result for CrowdStrike by Riley. With CrowdStrike being the title sponsor of the race, it’s extra special to win it. These guys all did a great job. Our guys on pitlane did a super job on every pit stop and nailed every one. George, Ian and Nicky all drove flawlessly. When you have a race where you execute like that, put it together and get rewarded with the win, that’s all being right with the world.”
Nicky Catsburg: “This is awesome. These days, winning races like this doesn’t come easy. You don’t really win the Spa 24 Hours so easily, so I’m super thankful to these guys for doing such a good job. It wasn’t easy. During the night we had some crazy weather conditions, but we kept it on the track which was really important. Thanks to them and the whole team. I’m really happy to be here.”
Ian James: “To win a fantastic race like the Spa 24 Hours and doing it with friends, there’s no better feeling. I’m really happy with the effort from the whole team.”
The CrowdStrike CXO Experience
The race result was the perfect finish for CrowdStrike, which served as the event's title sponsor for the second consecutive year. The Spa weekend featured abundant CrowdStrike branding, exclusive hospitality, and unique VIP access, enhancing the CrowdStrike experience.
A highlight of the weekend was the latest in CrowdStrike’s series of CXO Summits. These invitation-only networking events, held around significant motorsports races, provide CrowdStrike executives an opportunity to engage with VIP guests and discuss the latest protections against modern cybersecurity threats.
At the Spa CXO Summit, CrowdStrike CSO Shawn Henry and Angelo Comazzetto, OCISO at AWS, led a private roundtable with C-level peers to discuss the most pressing issues in cybersecurity today.
The Spa weekend also featured Riley garage tours, hot laps around the Spa circuit and tours of Mercedes-AMG’s trackside engineering support unit. Celebrating the CrowdStrike by Riley victory capped off an unforgettable event experience.