For the first time in its history, the Belcar Endurance Championship 2010 Saturday concluded with the famous 10 Hours of Zolder, a traditional New Year festival which this year promoted to national level. Because only one point difference between the Porsche 911 GT3-R Prospeed Marc Goossens and Maxime Soulet and the Audi R8 LMS WRT Anthony Kumpen and Greg Franchi, promises to be a grand finale, especially since it can earn double points which seven teams have a mathematical chance of winning the title. That is better than the F1 in Abu Dhabi the next day.
The 10 Hours of Zolder, the traditional final round at the Limburg circuit this season will decide on the various titles in the Belcar Endurance Championship. The pleasant autumn atmosphere remains a major asset for this meeting is closed in the dark. This year the spectators during the final of the season also can enjoy more free outlets and even comments from a speaker.
On paper and given the results of the last game of 125 minutes at Zolder in the context of the FIA GT3, the Porsche start – often the party in 10 Hours – as favorites. We think in the first place to the car of the leaders in the standings, and Maxime Soulet Marc Goossens, who reinforced by Briton Richard Westbrook. Rudy’s favorite pilot of Pendleton reserves ready to step into the arena if needed. “On reliability and performance, we indeed start as a favorite,” confirms Maxime Soulet confident. “We have no fear, but it is important to avoid incidents, because in these games is a fast collision happened. Ten hours in Zolder, which is always a bit of folklore … We sell the skin of the bear yet. Especially because the Audi will do everything in there and you can count on support from the factory.
Greg Franchi and Anthony Kumpen, who points behind (75 against 74), realize that it is a difficult task. “It would be a different story if it were to be held 10 hours at Spa,” says the pilot of Liege WRT. “In this circuit, the Porsche an advantage. On one lap we can beat them, but over a longer distance we have problems with our brakes. We have other blocks and a new cooling system tested. There is improvement, but we can not fully attack. We will have to adopt a cautious approach and keep us up to speed, even running the 911 road front .
To increase his chances, WRT relies on strengthening the Swiss Marcel Fässler, one of the pilot plant. “If it rains, it will be very important,” continues Greg Franchi. “Our Audi behaves perfectly on a wet circulation and then the brakes are so hot. We therefore hope that it rains and the track there will be slippery. In these circumstances we can most truly for the top spot.
The fight for the victory Saturday at 9:45 p.m. (it can be deduced that starts at 11:45 is given …) no duel between two cars. The respective teammates of the favorites to fight for the podium. The second Prospeed Porsche is entrusted to Enzo Ide, Ruben Maes and … factory driver Marc Lieb. They take on the second WRT Audi Bert Longin and François Verbist, who joined by the young Benjamin Bailly. “Even if we yield no title (editor’s note: they have 17 points behind), we still achieved a first victory for Audi,” says François Verbist, who in the situation is a bit of Sebastian Vettel F1.
With only 40 points to distribute (half of a normal race after 2:30, another half of the points in a game after 5:00 and the equivalent of a normal race at the finish), seven teams are still mathematically win the title. Besides the two Porsches and two Audi is looking out for the Dodge Viper of Koen Wauters and Jeffrey Van Hooydonk, the Ferrari 430 that two years ago, won and entrusted to Frederic Bouvy, Damien Coens and Christian Kelders, and the Lamborghini Gallardo of Niels Lagrange and Danny De Laet (Kenneth Heyer as third pilot). However, their title chances are even smaller than that of Lewis Hamilton in F1.
The potential referees in the battle we mention the beautiful Aston Martin DBRSS9 Eddy Renard, Michael Schmetz, the Swiss Henri Moser and Stéphane Lémeret, and the only Silhouette S1 at the start as “guest”, the KIA Pro_Ceed run by Chad Racing The Iain Dockerill and Steven Kane.
Nice battle in the divisions
The divisions are also the titles at stake. GT Open is a battle between Porsches, because of the Mosler MExT team does not commence. The family Derdaele (Henk Haane a third pilot in the 997 of Belgium Racing) has the best credentials compared Bruynooghe-Van Beurden (Speedlover) and Matthew-Redant (Level Racing). The favorites have to watch out for a number of outsiders, like the brothers Thiers (registered with a 997 instead of their usual Ferrari 430 GT3) and Coster-Cracco (with the second car Speedlover).
Tourism in Division 2 is more exciting with a dozen cars at the start this weekend. It promises to be a fascinating battle between the BMW Motorsport 120d of Beliën Patrick Beliën Cuyvers and Dimitri, who have a favorable consumption, and the M3 GT3 Hamofa of the brothers Verhoeven, who has more power. But even in this category, there are other teams in the Slot racing in the spotlight like to drive as Lumbeek-Kenis-Schuybroeck-Smets (BMW 130i), Moisan-Loo-Heyninck (BMW 120d), the brothers Franssen ( BMW M3 E46) and the British-Moore-Flack Comes (registered at the last moment with a very fast M3 GTR).
In total, more than forty GT and touring cars will start Saturday for a finale that will be exciting to the finish. May the best win
- Translated
Looking for more? Have a look below.
- Belcar: Maxime Soulet wins pole in the Prospeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3-R
- Belcar: W Racing Team looking to repeat at Zolder this weekend
- Belcar: W Racing Team celebrates a 1-2 victory at Spa-Francorchamps
- Belcar: W Racing Team takes its first win with the Audi R8 LMS at Spa-Francorchamps
- Belcar: W-Racing Team puts Audi R8 LMS on podium in Zolder
