The 2023 motorsport season is also just around the corner in the Benelux and enthusiasts of high-quality and competitive one-make cups can indulge themselves again this year. For the eleventh season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, no fewer than 32 cars will be on the starting grid for the first event of the season, including eight PRO-AM entries. In this class we find the very experienced racing entrepreneurs, but also young talent. They were also present during the last official test day to prepare for the 2023 season.

Spa-Francorchamps was the place of appointment for the test day of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux on Friday 7 April and it was immediately full house on the asphalt in the Ardennes. On that well-known asphalt we also saw the participants in the PRO-AM competition of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux and it was striking that, in addition to many nationalities, there were also very different profiles in this fascinating class behind the wheel of the various Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – take a seat.

In concrete terms, it concerns eight drivers from six countries. 29-year-old Brit Ryan Ratcliffe, who competes in the colors of Revs Motorsport, and his 43-year-old team-mate Aaron Mason are from across the Channel. Ratcliffe won the Pro-Am classification in the British Carrera Cup in 2021. The Belgian Speedlover is counting on the services of Didier Glorieux, a West Flemish entrepreneur, who became vice champion in the PRO-AM class of the Carrera Cup Benelux last season, behind Jan Lauryssen. GP Elite also does it with two drivers in the class, the 48-year-old German Maik Rosenberg, who has already won the Pro-Am class in the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring, and the Dutch young talent Sacha Norden, last year became primus in the GT4 class of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux. But we also see participants from the south of Europe, in particular the Frenchman Sebastien Lajoux (DUWO Racing) and Jaume Font who comes from Spain with Baporo Motorsport. Lajoux became champion in the AM class last season and is therefore promoted, Font rode a partial program last season, also in the AM class and now also opts for PRO-AM. Font then shared the car with his compatriot Joan Vinyes and he is also making the switch, also with Baporo Motorsport.

Nice competition

“As I stated earlier, the division is reserved for our organization, but in PRO-AM you actually see two different profiles,” said Olivier Aerts, Series Manager of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. “There are the young wolves who don't have a single-seater background or any other solid experience, but who don't belong in AM because of their age. On the other hand, you see very experienced entrepreneurs who invest heavily in motorsport and have therefore built up even more speed over the years. And with them we expect an exciting battle within the battle.”

Sacha Norden (GP Elite) is eager to start the season: “There is nothing better than racing in a Porsche 911 GT3 in the best competition in the Benelux”, the young Dutchman opens. “I won the GT4 class in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux last season and this is a logical next step towards my motorsport dream. I will compete in the PRO-AM class this year, but of course I also just want to play at the front of the general classification and that is possible, we have already seen that in the past. I am ready for it!”

Didier Glorieux is in his second season and the Speedlover driver is thrilled about the start of the season: “Participating in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux is a childhood dream come true. I think it's a wonderful and fair competition that continuously challenges you to become an even better rider. The car is fantastic and the organization is very professional and I really enjoy every minute of the race weekends. The fact that the PRO-AM class is there is an extra motivator because we ride without ABS and I think that's just great. Moreover, you experience such special weekends… Next week I will be on the circuit where the FIA WEC also runs, just fantastic!”

The Porsche Carrera Cup 2023 will start on April 27, 28 and 29 at Circuit Spa-Francorchamps during the Belgian round of the FIA WEC.