2025-07-19
The race pace was changed by a downpour – one record won’t be broken this year
The Aurum 1006 km powered by Hankook race on Saturday began and continued for most of the time in excellent weather – the track was dry, the air was warm, and the drivers enjoyed nearly perfect grip conditions. However, everything changed dramatically with 54 laps to go, when a massive raincloud swept over the circuit, instantly covering the track and its surroundings with a layer of water.
The pace of the race inevitably slowed down, and the officials declared a Code 60, which has now been in effect for over ten laps. Fortunately, no major incidents occurred after the rain started.
Before the rain hit, there was hope that the race time record could be broken this year. The current record, set last year, stands at 8 hours, 3 minutes, and 37.833 seconds. That milestone was achieved during the 25th anniversary edition of the Aurum 1006 km powered by Hankook in 2024 by the STATETA BRO-TOKS by IGNERA team, with drivers A. Fjordbach, Julius Adomavičius, Nemunas Dagilis, and British racer Tim Whale, piloting a Mercedes-Benz AMG GT3 EVO.
This year’s top three teams remain steady – Bio-Circle & HSG by SWAG continues to hold the lead, followed by RIMO & LKU by EQUPAY.CH, with STATETA BRO & VEESLA by AIBE right on their heels.
Photos by Vytautas Pilkauskas