• The Porsche Endurance Trophy is once again part of the Belcar Endurance Championship
• The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup among the favorites in the GT class
• Belgium Racing and RED ANT Racing with several cars at the start
• Three-hour race as part of the New Race Festival
Since its creation in the late 1990s, the Belcar Endurance Championship has been the ideal venue for many generations of Porsches. The impressive 993, especially in a biturbo version, already gave fans goosebumps more than 20 years ago. Afterwards, the 996, 997 and 991 - sometimes in different versions - also got their money's worth in the national endurance championship.
In 2021, the brand-new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup type 992 will make its appearance in the Belcar. In the slightly redesigned championship, with now a separate class for Grand Tourisme cars, two teams are putting their trust in the latest version of the best-selling racing car in the world: Belgium Racing and RED ANT Racing.
“We are very happy to be able to drive the new Porsche in the Belcar”, says a satisfied Marc Goossens, Program & Sporting Manager at Belgium Racing. “Our team has had a relationship with the brand for many years and each of our four wins in the Zolder 24 Hours was achieved with a 911 GT3 Cup. Although we have always had Porsches in our workshop, the arrival of the Type 992 has prompted us to focus exclusively on our favorite brand. With its 510 hp and all the improvements that have been made to the car, the potential of the car is enormous! After an excellent start in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux last weekend in Spa (with two victories for Dylan Derdaele in Pro and one for Nicolas Saelens in Pro-Am, ed.), We can hardly wait to get the 992 in a race to be put to the test for a long time. ”
Dylan Derdaele and Nicolas Saelens, two-time and reigning champions in the Belcar Endurance Championship, are in any case a duo to be feared. The other 992 of the Limburg team is in the hands of brothers Koen and Kris Wauters, who still manage to combine their musical and media careers with verve with an interesting racing program. “The aim is to let Porsche win again,” smiles Marc Goossens, himself a six-time winner of the 24 Hours of Zolder. “In our battle against the other GTs, we can count on all the endurance qualities of the Porsche, as well as the quality of the Michelin tires we use in the Porsche Endurance Trophy. Although there is no longer a general ranking, we still think we should be able to get closer to the small protos. In any case, we are aiming for victory in the GT class. ”
RED ANT Racing also relies on the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, with the trusted family trio consisting of father Bert Redant and sons Ayrton and Yannick at the wheel. The reigning vice champions of the Porsche Endurance Trophy are very much looking forward to the new season. “The 992 is a very pleasant car to steer,” says Bert Redant. “The evolutions on the car are clearly noticeable, and in Zolder we go more than a second faster per lap. In addition to performance, it is also a very comfortable car. I think we have what it takes to put the competition - led by the Lamborghini's SuperTrofeo - on fire. We will also focus on controlling brake and tire wear, as these are factors that play an important role in endurance competitions. And certainly in the 24 Hours of Zolder! ”
In addition to the three 911 GT3 Cups of the latest generation, the peloton of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux also includes a Type 991, deployed by Belgium Racing and driven by permanent values Jan Ooms and Glenn Paenen. At RED ANT Racing, the 911 GT3 Cup will be joined by a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the pit box. “A beautiful car, especially for gentlemen drivers and rookies”, Bert Redant explains. “Sven Van Laere, who already has some experience with the car, will start with two newcomers: Davy Vandekerckhove, who comes from the VW Fun Cup, and Sem Geerts, Ad's son, who competes with one of our cars. starts in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. ”
The qualifications for the first race of the Belcar Endurance Championship, organized as part of the New Race Festival in Zolder, will be completed on Saturday between 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm. On Sunday, the race will start in three hours at 11:50 am.