Fulbeck’s Shaun Balfe competes in World Challenge Europe 24-hour race at Spa Francorchamps as part of Garage 59 team

Fulbeck’s 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 World Challenge Europe 24-hour race.

Sharing 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.

Balfe said: “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.”

At lights out, Fleming taking the opening stint. Progress had been good and they were up to 35th overall and fifth in class in the first half-hour.

Fleming did just under an hour before he pitted to hand to Balfe.

“I got in and double-stinted so I did three of the first five hours in the car, but my second stint was more of a challenge,” said Balfe.

After five hours they were still in the 30s overall, but striving for a Class podium. Having briefly been in third, they were now a challenging fourth.

“We lost a lap after about six hours when we had an extra pitstop, after rear-end damage from contact,” said Balfe, as they slipped to fifth in class.

The team fought back well and within an hour had recovered to third in class, which then fluctuated between third and fourth up to half distance, dependant on pitstop strategies.

With four hours left on the clock the team were back into fourth in class and the podium aim looked a possibility, but individual strategies continued to play their part.

Into the final 30 minutes they were fourth in class, 32.39 seconds away from a podium finish, but only 0.179sec clear of a pursuing Audi.

They finally took the flag after 537 laps in 24th place overall from 75 starters and fifth in class.

“It was a really good race and result for us, with little preparation having not even met the other drivers before the race weekend,” said Balfe.

“Compared to the other drivers we were racing against, who were season-long partnerships, the whole team did a great job.”