A week after taking part in the 2024 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours, Mercedes-AMG F1 reserve driver Fred Vesti is back in the seat as he prepares to compete in the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Spa.
Ten Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams, 14 Mercedes-AMG GT3s and 50 drivers will compete to claim overall victory in the world's biggest GT3 race.
The spectacle will be decided in the 24-car pro category, with four Mercedes-AMG GT3s competing in this class. Fred will contest his first race in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 with the Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM.
This year's event at the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps takes place from 27-30 June and marks the 100th anniversary of the first race.
"I am definitely looking forward to my first GT race," said Fred. "It's really cool to get this opportunity.
"The test went really well despite some challenging weather conditions. Basically, I want to win every race I compete in. I know it won't be easy. I still have a lot to learn.
"Compared to the open-wheel cars, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is much heavier. I have to get used to that. But in general, it's great fun to try out different types of racing cars."
On Thursday, teams will take part in qualifying, with the best average lap time achieved in four sessions used to determine the 20 starters for the Superpole time trial on Friday. The main event will begin on Saturday, 29 June at 15:30 BST (16:30 CEST).
Christoph Sagemüller, head of Mercedes-AMG motorsport, said: "100 years of the 24 Hours of Spa and 130 years of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport - in 2024 we will be celebrating two unique anniversaries in Belgium.
"Our brand's successes are closely linked to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps both historically and beyond the 24-hour race. We took our first victory here in 1971 with a car from Affalterbach.
"At the centenary edition, we want to achieve our third overall victory since the introduction of our Customer Racing programme.
"I wish our 10 teams every success and the necessary luck. I am also particularly proud that we are deploying the entire spectrum of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport at Spa.
"With Frederik, we will see a driver from our Formula 1 team in the cockpit of a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the first time."