German brand can count on no fewer than thirteen cars in Belgian classic
Victory in class GTB is also the objective of the Porsche teams
Porsche has a special relationship with the 24-hour races, be it Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps, Daytona or Zolder, like this weekend. Eighteen times a Porsche 911 has topped the podium in the Belgian classic, which is the pinnacle of the Belcar Endurance Championship and the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux. Porsche is also very well represented this season, with ten Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, two Porsche Cayman GT4 and a Porsche Boxster. Of course it will be the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – already winner of the GTA class last season, which will go for the win. In a first overview we look at the ex-winners, in particular Belgium Racing, NGT Racing and RedAnt Racing, who together account for eight cars. In the first part we already looked ahead with the ex-winners, but new teams are also sticking their noses at the window and we come across some nice names. Moreover, there is not only the battle for the overall victory.
The Porsche 911 in all its inflections, the Porsche Cayman, but also a quasi standard version of a Porsche Boxster, these are the cars that the German brand is sending to Zolder for the 44th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder. Porsche has already won eighteen times in Zolder in the past and the number of successes in categories is almost countless. Last year, both the victory in GTA and GTB went to Porsche and that is the goal again this season. The qualities of the brand, in particular speed, reliability and economy, will also be shown to their full advantage in the 44th edition of the endurance classic.
Among the teams that call on Porsche, of course, are NGT Racing, Belgium Racing and RedAnt Racing, teams that have already been good for success in Zolder in the past. However, there are still formations that are looking for profit and one of them even brought a Porsche legend to Limburg: Q1 Trackracing.
“Due to circumstances, we came into contact with Stéphane Ortelli, ex-winner of both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa, both with Porsche”, explains team manager Nicolas Vandierendonck. “It was our young driver Laurent Vandervelde who forged the whole thing and he does it with the Monegask, but also with the number three from the current Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, Ghislain Cordeel, the young promise Benjamin Paque, who previously competed in the Porsche Sprint Challenge drove and a Porsche routine, Sven Van Laere. Ortelli will use his experience not only on the track, but also within the team.” Q1 Trackracing will also enter a second Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – for Jan Lauryssen, Filip Teunkens, Tommy Rau and French Supercup driver Florian Latorre.
With regard to the Porsche 911, there is last but not least the very experienced Speedlover, which calls on Van Hover-De Wilde-Ooms-Hensen-Doms in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – and also provides support for the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 991 – from RUSH, for Geladen-Hungenaaert-Geelisen and all-rounder Fred Bouvy.
In addition to all that '911' violence, there is also the battle in the GTB class, with of course the Porsche Cayman GT4 from RedAnt Racing and Tip Top Rent, which were discussed earlier in the first part. They are fighting for the victory in the GTB class and in that class we also find an older Porsche Boxster from BE Motorsport, a car that does not compete in the ranking of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux. "Our car is indeed a Porsche Boxster", says Davy Suffeleers, who has already driven the Limburg classic several times. "The engine is the 2.5 liter with standard 204 hp Porsche power source. Stephan Beyens, Didier Beyens, Ines Lammens, Peter Sterken and I get behind the wheel."
The 24 Hours of Zolder starts on Wednesday at 3.30 pm with a parade from the circuit to the center of Zolder, after which the cars return to the circuit around 7 pm. The practice runs and qualifying are for Thursday 11th August, with a Superpole at 7.30pm, while the race itself starts on Saturday 13th August at 4pm!
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