BMW continues to lead this year's Spa 24 Hours with just under eight hours to go, but its challenge has been weakened by problems with one of its two M3s.

Uwe Alzen briefly took the lead from teammate Dirk Adolf when another rain shower hit during the sixth hour. But then his No. 78 machine was hit by an ignition issue that has dropped the car to seventh. As a result, the No. 79 M3 of Dirks Werner, Muller and Adorf established a comfortable lead over the No. 13 Porsche, which Marco Holzer took past Patrick Pilet in the leading IMSA example.

A major change at the 14th hour occurred when the GT2 and GT3 leaders collided and both retired

The No. 2 AF Corse-ALD Team Vitaphone Ferrari of Eric Van De Poele and the No. 50 Phoenix Racing Audi of Anthony Kumpen both suffered heavy damage when the Ferrari, which had pitted, was coming up to the Audi and a slower GT4 Porsche. Contact between the GT4 and GT3 cars spun the Audi across in front of the Ferrari. A safety car period was called to recover both cars from the track, which lasted 25-minutes before racing resumed.

β€œIt was quite a big shunt," related Van de Poele. "Anthony (Kumpen) was in front of me and there was a GT4 Porsche in front at Stavelot. Anthony passed him at the exit of Stavelot, he passed him on the right, the Porsche thought that he was on the left. I was on the left so I passed them both easy, with no problem. But the Porsche hit the back of the Audi and the Audi crossed the track and hit me β€“ when I was just cruising, so I didn't see him coming.”

The No. 23 BMS Porsche is in second place one lap down and the leading GT2 entry ahead of the No. 13 IMSA Porsche in third place overall. The No. 73 WRT Audi is now the leading GT3 entry in fourth overall, six laps behind the leader. 

The United Autosport team has its No. 68 Audi R8 LMS in eighth place overall with Mark Blundell now at the wheel, while the team's second car has been delayed by a few minor off-course excursions, and a tire puncture for Stefan Johansson.

NASCAR racer Michael Waltrip is 10th overall in the No. 1 AF Corse-ALD Team Vitaphone Ferrari.