Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux 2026 kicks off at Circuit Zolder with nine Porsche racecars on the grid

Zonhoven, 29 April 2026. Next weekend, the 2026 season of the national Belgian Belcar Endurance Championship will get underway at Circuit Zolder, continuing to provide the sporting platform for the high-level Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux. This season, the races will be even longer, further emphasizing the endurance philosophy in which Porsche particularly excels. For the opening race, no fewer than nine Porsches appear on the entry list, proof that the German sports car brand remains inseparably linked to Belgian national motorsport. 

Longer races strengthen the true endurance character 

The Belgian national endurance championship ‘Belcar’ features five races this season, with the traditional highlight being the 24 Hours of Zolder at the end of August. “The other races are longer than in previous seasons, with events now lasting three and even four hours, which aligns even better with the endurance nature of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux,” said Series Manager Rudi Penders. “We therefore see three drivers per car more often than in past seasons, which also strengthens the financial foundation. The opening race at Circuit Zolder on Sunday 3 May will be a three-hour or 180-minute event, and we will see seven Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – and two Porsche 718 Cayman GT4RS Clubsport cars on the grid, once again making Porsche the leading supplier in the GT classes. The qualities, speed and reliability of Porsche naturally play an important role in that.” 

From a sporting perspective, the battle promises to be extremely intense. No fewer than five teams with seven cars have opted for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 –, aiming for race victories and the title fight in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux. 

Belgium Racing as the benchmark, but competition is strong 

Belgium Racing will field no fewer than three examples of the Porsche, with of course the well-known #99 leading the North Limburg squad. Dylan Derdaele, Nicolas Saelens and the 2024 Porsche Carrera Cup vice-champion, Paul Meijer, will perhaps start Sunday at 12:40 as the favourites for the three-hour race. In the #98, we will see Kaï Rillaerts, Michael Cool and Colin Coox for the season opener. Brent Verheyen will also take the wheel of the Porsche during the season, but the promising Limburg driver is currently recovering from a medical procedure. 

Finally, there is the #747, a race number referring to the legendary Boeing 747 and the professional environment of one of the drivers, Nick Van Pelt, who is an airline pilot. He forms a trio with Olivier Bertels and Sita Vermeert. 

However, Belgium Racing will not be handed victory on a silver platter. Naturally, there is NGT Racing, which will call on Ian Gepts and Benjamin De Cock at Circuit Zolder, but MM Racing, with brothers Mick, Steve and Tom Meurrens, has meanwhile built up considerable experience and will certainly fight for podium positions. 

ART Racing, entering its second season with the Porsche, is also without doubt ambitious. Christoff Corten leads the team. Finally, Stegmann Motorsport, with Jan Nick and Markus Lungstrass, will make its debut in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux. 

Porsche is also represented in the GT Sport class. Q1 Motorsport (Rajko Pagen and Bram Hendrix) and VR Racing by NGT Racing (Dirk Van Rompuy, Tom Van Rompuy, Glenn Van Parijs and Mauro Polderman) will both enter a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4RS Clubsport. 

The first meeting of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux 2026 begins with a free practice session on Saturday between 09:55 and 10:55, while the battle for pole position will take place between 14:30 and 15:00. 

The race will of course follow on Sunday, with the green light at 12:40. At 15:40, we will know the first winners of the season.