Bas Leinders, Team Principal at BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, will not drive at the 24 Hours of Spa. He has taken the decision to focus purely on leading the team and using his vast experience in endurance racing to push both cars toward the podium. Lucas Luhr will take his seat in the #77 BMW Z4 GT3. The Belgian driver has decided not to drive, to ensure there is no blurring of his focus at the Ardennes enduro, where he will concentrate purely on organising and leading the team.
His replacement is BMW Motorsport factory driver Lucas Luhr. German pilot Luhr has a massive repertoire of sportscar racing experience, including winning the American Le Mans Series LMP1 championship three times and the FIA GT1 World Championship.
Marc van der Straten, Team Owner
“I’m obviously disappointed that Bas isn’t driving, because he’s been driving my cars since the beginning! But I know he’s doing it for the right reasons and I hope he will return to the car in the future. I’m sure Lucas is a quality replacement and I hope that we can produce a strong performance at Spa.”
Lucas Luhr, #77 BMW Z4 GT3
“I feel very positive, I look forward to it – what else can I say. I know that Marc VDS are a strong team, and I remember fighting against them in GT1, where they were one of the best. Spa is a very special race for them, because they are a Belgian team and based not so far from the track. It’s always been a great race, but the last couple of years have been fantastic, with so many high quality GT3 cars. It’s very challenging, and I can’t wait.”
Bas Leinders, Team Principal
“Obviously this is an extremely difficult decision for me. To race in front of home fans is one of the most amazing things a driver can do, and these Belgian fans have always been superb. However, I’ve made this decision with the team in mind – we need a team principal who is purely focused on organisation and leadership. I’d like to make it clear this isn’t my retirement from racing, though! I still have plenty of hunger for that, but for now my focus is on ensuring good results for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS at the 24 Hours of Spa.”