Porsche is aiming for its twentieth victory at the 24 Hours of Zolder, having secured its nineteenth win in August 2023. The 46th edition of this prestigious race, held in Limburg, offers Porsche a chance to add yet another win to its record. With nine Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992) cars and three Porsche Cayman GT4s competing, Porsche teams are eyeing both the overall victory and a win in the GTB class. The race promises to be competitive, with the final verdict arriving on Sunday at 4:00 PM.
The Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux, a crucial part of the Belcar Endurance Championship, plays a significant role in the 24 Hours of Zolder. This race is known for its demanding nature, challenging both drivers and machines. Porsche, with its nineteen victories, leads the all-time standings, making it the brand of choice for many teams hoping to add their name to the winner's list, thanks to the brand’s famed speed and reliability.
RedAnt Racing leads the charge in the GTA class, fielding three identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars. Among their line-up, the #38 car with Laurens Vanthoor, Ayhancan Güven, and the father-son duo of Van Rompuy stands as a top contender. The #93, with Ayrton and Yannick Redant alongside Kobe De Breucker and four-time winner Kenneth Heyer, is another strong entry. Meanwhile, the #94, driven by Michael Cool, Michiel Haverans, Koen De Wit, and Brent Verheyen, also seeks podium success.
D'Ieteren Luxury Performance is another team to watch, with Bertrand Baguette and four young talents - Glenn Van Parijs, Kobe Pauwels, Benjamin Paque, and Robin Knutsson - piloting the #15 car, backed by NGT. Additionally, NGT supports the #28 Rush Drivers Collective Porsche, featuring Tom Boonen, Toon Hungenaert, Fred Bouvy, Gilles Verleyen, and Simon Tourneur.
Q1 Trackracing, coming off a successful year in national and international competitions, fields two crews for this year’s race. Last year’s poleman Xavier Maassen teams up with Dirk Schouten, Lars Zaenen, Nicolas Saelens, and Florian Lattore in the #56. The second Q1 car, featuring Filip Teunkens, Jan Ooms, Glenn Paenen, Vlad Radunacu, and Nicolas Vandierendonck, is another contender.
Belgium Racing Team, a four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Zolder, is eager for a fifth victory. The team’s Porsche Endurance Trophy and Belcar Endurance Championship leaders, Dylan Derdaele and Jan Lauryssen, are joined by Lars Kern, Sacha Norden, and Sven Van Laere in pursuit of this goal.
Speedlover, aiming to surpass last year’s fifth-place finish, also returns with drivers Rik Renmans, Wim Meulders, and Olivier Dons.
In the GTB class, Porsche is well-represented with several versions of the Cayman GT4. Leading the class is the #63 Tip Top by NGT Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, driven by Arthur Peters, Kenny Herremans, Niels Lagrange, Raf Van Belle, Gunther Van Den Bergh, and Tim Jacobs, all of whom have ambitions for a strong overall result. Another Cayman GT4 Clubsport entry, driven by Benjamin De Cock, Pieter Van Hoecke, Koen De Mulder, Damien Haeltem, and Tom Boeven, shares the same colors. DIRKX Motorsport fields its own Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, with drivers Daan Dirkx, Jarne Geussens, René de Koninck, Cédric Baeten, and Marnik Battryn.
The 46th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder kicks off on Wednesday at 15:30 with a parade from the paddock to Heldenplein in Heusden-Zolder. Thursday will feature practice runs and qualifying sessions, with Superpole set for 19:40. The race begins Saturday at 16:00, concluding 24 hours later on Sunday.
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