11 mei 2008Two victories for GPR Franchi-Soulet in a sun-drenched Dijon
The second meeting of the Belgian GT Championship MVD on the French circuit of Dijon, was the perfect sequel to the opening races earlier this season at Zolder. The first race produced a great battle between Porsche, Ferrari and Mosler and finally the GPR-duo Maxime Soulet-Greg Franchi came out on top. The race was right up Porsche’s street, with a second victory for Soulet and Franchi after a true endurance battle.
During the start of the first race matters immediately turned sour for the AD Sport Viper of Kris Wauters, who saw his race came to an end after only a few hundred meters. Pole holder Bert Longin led the field for some two laps but the driver from Leuven couldn’t hold off Fred Bouvy.
For the first half of the race the Ferrari of Bouvy and Coens, both Gravity Moslers and the Porsches 997 GT3 Cup S of GPR and NGT battled it out for victory. This time around Lady Luck wasn’t on Mosler’s side, as firstly Kumpen had to let go due to a deflating tyre – and to finally finish in sixth place – and at the end of the race Vincent Radermecker experienced a similar defect, landing up in the sand trap. The outcome was that Maxime Soulet took the chequered flag, a mere handful of seconds ahead of Bouvy and Couwberghs.
The remaining AD Viper of Koen Wauters and Patrick Schreurs finished in fourth spot; whilst Van Hooydonck and Dierick performed well, climbing back up into the top-5.
The second race was a dramatic beginning for Gravity International. Both Mosler MT 900s had been struggling with electronic problems and had to start from the pitlane. Kumpen soon left the scene, whilst the second Mosler, after a steady climb fell back. But the struggle was on between Van Hooydonk, Soulet, Couwberghs and Vosse and developed into a great battle. The A+ Viper lost any hope of victory after a Stop & Go and Franchi and Maes took advantage of this, building up a gap after the driver changes. Behind the two Porsches Fred Bouvy was able to steal Eddy Renard’s podium place at the last minute after a fierce fight. Both A+ Vipers finished in an honourable fifth and sixth place, with Robert Dierick-Jeffrey van Hooydonk ahead of Tom Van de Plas-Wim Lumbeeck. The AD Viper of Schreurs and Koen Wauters finished behind the yellow cars, and in eighth spot, and fully deserved after Thursday’s heavy crash, the Thiers brothers in the brand new Ferrari 430.
In Division 2 victory in the first race went to the KS Motorsport Ginetta G50 of Steve Vanbellingen and Marnix Vandermaesen. The duo kept the 996 GT3 of Van Oost-Maes at bay, and where in fact the result of the second race was in the reverse order. Third in D2 the Lotus of Bruynoghe and Steegmans, and this in both races. Division 3 was also exceptionally exciting. Langeberg-Van Hover clinched victory in the morning race with their Porsche 997, ahead of Nelissen-Grade and a first rate Niels Lagrange. The same Lagrange together Nelissen-Grade won the evening race ahead of Langeberg-Van Hover.
Greg Franchi: “The least we can say is that we got our revenge! The championship is wide open again after these two victories and we have completely forgotten about the unfortunate events experienced at Zolder.”
Ruben Maes: “It was an exceptionally hard fought weekend and we’re also wiping the slate clean regarding the Zolder weekend.”
Damien Coens: “Following on from our opening weekend with the Ferrari in Challenge-configuration we have now proved the true potential of the car. This recent performance gives us great hope for the rest of the season.”
Results:
Race 1 :
1. Franchi-Soulet (GPR Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S) 40 laps, 2. Bouvy-Coens (Francorchamps Motors Ferrari F430 GT3) + 4''925, 3. Maes-Couwberghs (NGT Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S) + 5''332, 4. Wauters-Schreurs (AD Sport Dodge Viper Comp. Coupe) + 37''445, 5. Dierick-Vanhooydonk (A+ Dodge Viper Comp. Coupe) + 1'08''198, 6. Longin-Kumpen (Gravity Mosler MT900 R) + 1'08''774, 7. Renard-Vosse (Sport Garage Ferrari F430 GT3) at 1 lap, 8. Derdaele-Van Moerkerke (Dodge Viper Comp. Coupé) at 1 lap, Van de Plas-Lumbeeck (A+ Dodge Viper) at 1 lap, Thiers-Thiers (Ferrari 430 GT3), at 1 lap…
Race 2 :
1. Soulet-Franchi (GPR Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S) 43 laps, 2. Couwberghs-Maes (NGT Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S) +10''169, 3. Coens-Bouvy (Francorchamps Motors Ferrari F430 GT3) +17''366, 4. Vosse-Renard (Sport Garage Ferrari F430 GT3) +24''909, 5. Van Hooydonk-Dierick (A+ Dodge Viper Comp. Coupe) +44''517, 6. Van de Plas-Lumbeeck (A+ Dodge Viper Comp. Coupe) +1'08''156, 7. Wauters-Schreurs (AD Sport Dodge Viper Comp. Coupé) at 1 lap
8. Thiers-Thiers (Ferrari F430 GT3) at 1 lap, 9. Lagrange-Nelissen Gradde (First Motorsport Porsche 997 GT3 Cup) at 1 lap , 10. Radermecker-Marchal (Gravity Mosler MT900 R) at 2 laps
