27 maart 2008Belgian GT Championship MVD: the balance of power
Just two weeks before the season’s actual kick off, we enjoyed an appetiser of what is to come with the now traditional Test Day, held today, Thursday at the Circuit of Zolder. We now finally have an insight into the ranks of those competing in the Belgian GT Championship Mediagroep Van Dyck.
Our first observation is the fact that our national championship is in pretty good health. Twelve months ago SRO Belgium took over the running and at that time opted for the GT3-category, slotting it into Division 1. And now a mere year on, this category has become the reference in Belgium, with no less than twenty cars in Division 1, and in this light Belgium is well matched compared to its (larger) neighbours, namely Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Following on from a highly successful initial season, with Mosler, Corvette and Porsche fighting it out to the final finish line, it is interesting to note that during the winter recess almost half the field has been renewed. For the 2008 season the major pillars concentrate on an ever wider diversity not forgetting the additional overall balance of power. Presently there are 19 cars officially registered in D1, of which three Mosler MT900, three Ferrari F430, four Lamborghini Gallardo, four Porsche 997 (including two new 997 GT3 S) and five Dodge Viper Competition.
In addition we welcome the return of a few renowned names for the 2008 championship, such as Fred Bouvy, Vincent Vosse, Tim Verbergt, Jeffrey Van Hooydonk not forgetting the 2007 BTCS-champions Steve Vanbellingen and Damien Coens.
Similar to the way in which the snow put in a late appearance in Belgium, a few late registrations also appeared on the scene. And a few interesting ones at that….. Amongst others no less than three (!) Ferrari 430 GT3; one for Hans and Frank Thiers (Russell Racing), another for Bouvy-Coens (with the support of Francorchamps Motors, Red Bull and Delahaye Racing Team),and finally one for the unexpected guests Eddy Renard and Vincent Vosse in a 430 straight out of the French Sport Garage.
The Belgian GT Championship Mediagroep MVD 2008 will definitely have an Italian flavour, seeing that apart from the Ferrari 430 there will be four Lamborghini Gallardo on the grid, amongst which one boasting the colours of the English Chad Racing team (Greensall-Dockerill) and three for the JD by Astromega team, with Ceusters-Haane, Vollebergh-Thiers and De Laet-Verbergt.
Even though the German make no longer boasts a majority, Porsche still retain several irons in the fire. Two of last year’s champions will be competing with a brand new Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S in 2008. NGT, the Division 2 champions, are entering a model for the fast duo Bart Couwberghs (the Driver Challenge winner) – Ruben Maes. And last but not least GPR has found its way back into the Belgian GT world.
The new Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S with start number ‘1’ will be driven by Maxime Soulet, whilst we are still awaiting to learn who will be his team-mate. Prospeed Competition also have a new GT3 S, however we will only be seeing the Liege based team sporadically – amongst others during the opening race in Zolder – with Rudy Penders and Franz Lamot. First and Speedlover will be competing with a ‘2007’ version of the 997.
In the Dodge Viper Competition Coupé camp, who will be with no less than five cars at the start, we notice the return of Koen Wauters, with the experienced Patrick Schreurs and in addition and still under the AD Sport canopy also Kris Wauters and Rafael Vanthoor. A+ Racing will receive support from Jeffrey Van Hooydonk, and he is also waiting to learn who will become his team-mate.
And finally we have the Mosler MT900 machines, with the winners of last year’s wet race in Spa, G&A (Guino Kenis and Michael De Keersmaeker) as also two models from Gravity Racing International with Vincent Radermecker and another driver yet to be confirmed and the multi crowned Belgian champions Bert Longin and Anthony Kumpen, whose car will be in the Sporza livery colours and will be a contender to be reckoned with. However the Mosler still needs to travel on down to Nogaro next week for the FIA Balance of Performance-tests. The strength of the Belgian GT Championship MVD 2008 and more specifically the GT3 in general lies in the fact that all cars are and remain equally balanced.
The promoters had a quiet hope that Division 2 would grow in size, and apart from the faithful Porsche 996 GT3 Cup we now notice an increasing number of GT4 cars on the entry list. Here we find two Ginetta G50 in the colours of KS Motorsport Belgium, for Vanbellingen-Vandermaesen and for another team still to be confirmed, as also the Aston Martin N24 of Cracco-Van Audenhoven and the Lotus 2 Eleven of Steegmans-Bruynooghe.
And last but not least we have Division 3 where we come across the old Belcar GTs, such as the Porsche 996 GT2-R McDonalds Racing for François Bouillon and Jean-Claude Voets (next to the car which was initially planned for Stéphane De Groodt, but who will only be competing in a few races) and the Chad Racing BMW M3 GTR with the British drivers David Shelton and John Hartshorne.
We still have to wait until Sunday 13th April before having the pleasure of admiring all this splendid machinery on the grid for the first race of the season. We can hardly wait ….
