Porsche well presented for the Belcar 24 Hours of Zolder this weekend
The 24 Hours of Zolder is definitely in the diary of every Belgian motorsport aficionado. The sporting battle for overall victory is definitely one between the various cars in both GT classes. Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini are the favourites, with Marc Car V8 BMW and Ligier as the outsiders in the 24 hours long fight. In this battle we come across some renowned names, with former winners, but also renowned international drivers who will be bringing this sporting battle to a hight level. High time for an overview.
The Bert Longin, Stienes Longin, Peter Guelinckx and Dries Vanthoor quartet in the PK Carsport Audi R8 LMS GT2 have eight victories between them. The team leads the championship and has won two of the three races of the Belcar Endurance Championship in the run-up to these 24 Hours of Zolder. It is therefore perhaps not surprising that they are the favourites for overall victory.
Audi however does not have the advantage when it comes down to numbers. Porsche can count on a fleet of thirteen cars, with nine Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, one 991 and a further two Porsche Cayman GT4 as also a Porsche Boxster in GTB. The strongest rivals for the ‘Audi GT2’ emanate from the teams with the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup.
Last season the German machines had already won the GTA class, with RedAnt Racing and this year the East Flanders team is entering two strong line-ups. Following successes in various races of the 24 Hours Series this season, the team of the Redant family has already proven its worth. Bert Redant will be joined by his sons Yannick and Ayrton, while the fourth driver, Sam Dejonghe, no longer needs any introduction. In the second Porsche 992 we have father and son Jimmy and Kobe De Breucker, teamed up with Philippe Wils, Luc Vanderfeesten and Tom Boonen, a quintet that could well offer up the surprise.
When it comes to names Q1 Trackracing provided the biggest surprise, with on the one hand Jan Lauryssen, Filip Teunkens and Tommy Rau who will be joined by the French Supercup driver Florian Latorre, while Stéphane Ortelli is the name teamed up with Ghislain Cordeel, Benjamin Paque, Sven Van Laere and Laurent Vandervelde in the team’s second car.
Belgium Racing has won the race four consecutive times, a record that still stands and with two Porsche 992 GT3 Cup for among others record winner Marc Goossens and four times winner Dylan Derdaele, but also with the young revelation Michiel Haverans and regular stalwart Kenneth Heyer, this Lommel based team will definitely holds its ground.
NGT Racing is also entering two Porsche 992, and in the car bearing the Russel Racing colours, we have no less than ten victories in the 24 Hours of Zolder for the quintet Corten-H. Thiers-F. Thiers.- Van Hooydonk – Lowette. The second car is for the rookies, among which the Limburg brothers Stevens, but they could also come up with a surprise.
Last but not least there is Speedlover, who is calling on the services of Van Hover-De Wilde-Ooms-Hensen-Doms in the ‘992’ and also provides support in the RUSH Porsche 991, for Geladen-Hungenaaert-Geelisen and allrounder Fred Bouvy.
That rounds off Porsche and Audi, but we also have CVW Motorsport, Chris Van Woensel’s team, that will be entering a MARC Car V8 BMW for Chris Van Woensel, Dirk Mertens and Maurits Van Egdom, while Totaalplan Racing will be keeping the name of Lamborghini high, knowing that the team had already won the race at Magny-Cours. Cedric Wauters will definitely be on hand during the Superpole on Thursday evening as from 19.30hrs, a Superpole that in fact is completely free for the general public.
GTB: battle within the battle
In GTB it will turn into a French-German battle, with Ligier in the colours of the importer Xwift Racing Events, which is entering two cars, versus Porsche, with RedAnt Racing, Tip Top Rent and BE Motorsport, who are entering three machines. Here also we come across some renowned names, with former winners Dirk Van Rompuy and Erik Bruynoghe in the RedAnt Racing Porsche Cayman GT4, while the young team of Tip Top Rent is currently lying second in the intermediate rankings of the Belcar Endurance Championship.
The 24 Hours of Zolder kicks-off on Wednesday at 15.30hrs with a parade from the circuit to the centre of Zolder, following which the cars will return to the circuit around 19.00hrs. Practice and qualifying takes place on Thursday 11th August, with a Superpole at 19.300hrs, while the actual race starts on Saturday 13th August at 16.00hrs!
GTA Class
#2Russel Racing by NGT Hans Thiers/Frank Thiers/Jeffrey Van Hooydonck/Christoff Corten/Stijn Lowette Porsche 992 Cup
#3 RED ANT Racing Tom Boonen/Luc van der Feesten/Kobe de Breucker/Jimmy de Breucker/Philippe Wils Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
#7 Speedlover Olivier Dons/Jürgen Van Hover/Pieter Ooms/Kurt Hensen/John De Wilde Porsche 992 Cup
#12 RED ANT Racing Bert Redant/Ayrton Redant/Yannick Redant/Sam Dejonghe Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
#15 NGT Racing Gregory Stevens/Frank Stevens/Heinrich Lategan/Johan de Bruyn Porsche 992 Cup
#17 RUSH Competition by Speedlover Toon Hungenaert/Dries Geladé/Frank Geelissen/Fréderic Bouvy Porsche 991
#52 Q1-Trackracing Laurent Vandervelde/Stephane Ortelli/Ghislain Cordeel/Sven Van Laere/Benjamin Paque Porsche 992 Cup
#55 Q1-Trackracing Filip Teunkens/Jan Lauryssen/Tommy Rau/Florian Latorre Porsche 992 Cup
#78 Belgium Racing Michiel Haverans/Marc Goossens/Rodrigue Gillion/Nico Verdonck Porsche 992
#99 Belgium Racing Dylan Derdaele/Michael Cool/Kenneth Heyer/Ziad Geris Porsche 992 Cup
GTB Class
#6 VR Racing By RedAnt Dirk van Rompuy/Tom van Rompuy/Eric Bruynooghe/Eric Qvick Porsche Cayman GT4
#63 Tip Top Rent Arthur Peters/Jurgen Gulicher Porsche Cayman GT4
#77 BE Motorsport Stephan Beyens/Didier Beyens/Peter Sterken/Davy Suffeleers/Ines Lammens Porsche Boxster