After having qualified 1-2, the WRT Audi R8 LMS cars were dropped to 11th and 12th places on the grid. The cause? Being late scrutineering on Saturday night. That obviously didn’t sit well with the team because they took the lead 95 laps into the race and never looked back. All year the W Racing Team has shown improvements in its program and this is a well-deserved victory for them. Gallery after the jump!
Before the start of the 4 Hours of Spa, the Audi R8 of LMS WRT Kumpen-Longin-Franchi and Verbist from the front row put back ten places on the grid because of the qualifications on time in the fleet were closed. She took a great revenge by their first double of the season to score in the Belcar Endurance Championship. The Prospeed Porsche Goossens-Soulet completed the podium.
The Audi R8′s LMS team of WRT, at the fall of the flag from the 4 Hours of Spa in the context of the meeting Francorchampagne by only three seconds separated cared to finish the show. The four aces determination was not inhibited by team orders. “We are not here at Ferrari,” smiled Vincent Vosse, one of the bosses of WRT team, sports. “I have only to Greg and asked Bert to the car unscathed to the finish to bring.”
That’s what the two major pros without problems. The tandem-Kumpen Franchi won for the second consecutive time, after their victory in the 25 Hours VW Fun Cup.
“Fantastic,” cheered to Liège. “The difference between our two cars during the race was never greater than 6 seconds. We lost the leadership during our first stores, but we came back to lead on our last pit stop. The 20 kg extra weight we had to stop slightly earlier. I had new tires mounted and I’m in my first two laps as hard as we attacked my teammates to pass.
François Verbist was very happy that the team of his father René, who this weekend was not present, a first double scored. The teammate Bert Longin was delighted: “Obviously, I like playing, but with this second place, less than three seconds after a sprint race in 4 hours, we continue to lead in the championship by one point to another Audi but especially with a little more ahead of the Porsche.
The Prospeed 911 GT-R Maxime Soulet Marc Goossens and took the lead early on from pole holder Jeffrey Van Hooydonk with the Dodge Viper, but the duo had to resolve the role. “I got a first drive-through because at the start too far coup led to the top of the Raidillon,” said Maxime Soulet, who are not experienced most happy weekend. “Then, in the end of my first relay, I lost some time because the tires had had their best time.
The winners of the first two races of the season had an impressive catch-up race. It has earned them the third place, one lap behind the winners: “I was the Dodge Viper Koen Wauters two laps before the finish pass,” said Marc Goossens. “Today was not easy, but the championship remains open. Attic would give us better to lie.
By KRK they made a positive assessment after earning a fourth place at last Dodge reliable. “We only have problems with weight,” said the former F3000 driver. “I have however tried to save the tires, but at the end of a relay, we drove to the wire.
Because the second Prospeed Porsche was soon put at a disadvantage (a flat tire caused damage, making the 45 mechanics’ work had), made the Lamborghini Gallardo Niels Lagrange and Danny De Laet the Top 5 is full, a round of Aston Martin DBRS9 Eddy Renard and Belcar rookie Michael Schmetz. In the seventh place finisher, the only surviving Ferrari (the other two 430′s had to give up, which the brothers Thiers after a big check in Blanchimont what caused a neutralization after 2 hours match) of Bouvy-Coens.
The Mosler MT900 Mext Racing Team Olivier Van Oost and Ron Marchal, the fastest in training, was 8th overall and dominated in the GT Class 4 Open from start to finish. Two Porsches, the 997 of father and son and the other Derdaele Supercup Brody, Julian and Jose Schroyen Schmitz, completed the podium.
In eighteenth place behind the Saker Jeuris Wim and Ronald Vetters, the winners in the Class 3, was the BMW 120D of Patrick and Dimitri Beliën Cuyvers favorit in Division 2 where. However, the touring squad at the start of the race led by another BMW, which Wim Lumbeek and Joel Schuybroek. But the black car of G & A had to give up after just 15 laps with a broken gearbox. “We had already installed the reserve source, after we have had problems in training, but the sixth gear was gone,” lamented Schuybroek that his comeback. M3 GTR of Verhoeven drove early in the race here in the lead, but halfway through the race gave them so Heyninckx Geoffrey and Jan De Vocht a diesel twice made for the E46 M3 of the family Franssen.
The next meeting will follow within three weeks at Zolder. With a difference of three points between the leaders is still exciting …
Race: 1. Franchi-Kumpen (Audi R8 LMS), 95 laps in 4h00.38.982 2. Longin-Verbist (Audi R8 LMS) in 2987, 3. Goossens-Soulet (Porsche 911 GT3-R) 1r, 4. Wauters Koen Van Hooydonk (Dodge Viper Competition) at 1r 5. De Laet-Lagrange (Lamborghini Gallardo) at 2r, 6. Renard-Schmetz (Aston Martin DBRS9) on 3r 7. Bouvy-Coens (Ferrari 430 GT3) on 3r 8. East Marchal (Bel-PB/Mosler MT900) to 4r (1st Class 4), 9. Derdaele-Derdaele (Porsche 997) on 5r, 10. Brody-Schroyen Schmitz (Porsche 997 Cup) on 6r, … 17. Jeuris-Vetters (Saker) on 9r (1st Class 3), 18. Belien-Cuyvers (BMW 120D) to 10r (1st Class 2 Division 2 Tourist)
Championship: 1.Verbist-Longin (Audi) 58 points 2. Franchi Kumpen-57, 3. Goossens-Soulet (Porsche) 55, 3, 4. Wauters, Van Hooydonk 34, 5. Ide-Maes (Porsche) 32, 6. Bouvy-Coens 29;
- Belcar
Looking for more? Have a look below.
- Belcar: W Racing Team takes its first win with the Audi R8 LMS at Spa-Francorchamps
- Belcar: Niels Lagrange puts the Team Argo Lamborghini Gallardo on pole
- W Racing Team looks for its first victory in the Belcar Endurance Championship
- Belcar: W-Racing Team puts Audi R8 LMS on podium in Zolder
- Belgian GT: Third victory of the season for the Audi R8 LMS at Spa-Francorchamps
