Belgian GT – Dijon Preview
Balancing Act

Bizarre though it may seem to some of us, the next round of the Belgian GT Championship is not only in France, but it’s also the same weekend as the Spa 1000 Kms. It must have made sense to someone at the time.

So, four weeks after the season kicked off in Zolder, the Belgian GT Championship MVD is ready for its second meeting. For races three and four they are heading on down to the Burgundy region in France, more specifically to the Dijon-Prenois circuit.

Dijon is an undulating and fast track which will separate the young boys from the men; the ideal opportunity for Belgium’s GT3 drivers to measure up against their French colleagues because this race weekend coincides with the third FFSA GT meeting of the season and it boasts a highly attractive programme which promises to draw in the crowds. Of major importance is the fact that the Belgian GT Championship MVD now fully conforms to the international GT3 Championship regulations whereas, out of sheer necessity during the first meeting, the British GT3 regs had to be applied.

Anthony Kumpen and Bert Longin, who dominated the first meeting with their Mosler MT900 GT3, have (as would be expected) been given a handicap for this coming weekend. The Mosler will be 40 kgs heavier and the ride height, both front and rear, has been raised by 1 cm. But nobody will be scrapping the Gravity International cars from their list of favourites.

Neither will the various Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S cars disappear from the bookmakers’ notebooks. Following on from the first national and international meetings, these German machines were not only given additional weight (+40 kg), an adapted ride height (+ 1 cm) but also a 68 mm clamping plate. That notwithstanding, the fastest Porsche drivers, Soulet-Franchi (GPR) and Couwberghs-Maes (NGT), after their difficult opening round, will undoubtedly be found up front and be able to redress the situation experienced at the beginning of April. For this occasion Markus Palttala and Christian Kelders will be at the wheel of a brand new Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S and we’ll definitely expect to see the fast Finn up front.

The Dodge Viper loses its 48.56 mm clamping plate and it will be a question of waiting to see what, amongst others, the A+ Racing-power beast of Jeffrey Van Hooydonk and Robert Dierick can pull out of its sleeve at Dijon. However, the American car is not the only one being ‘relieved’ on its way down to France. The Italian beauties should also unquestionably be on the pace. The Lamborghini Gallardo has lost 40 kilograms compared to its outing at Zolder and, who knows, there could be a sequel to the two podium places of Van Hool and Haane, while Tim Verbergt remains a serious candidate to take pole position. The Francorchamps Motors Delahaye Ferrari 430 of Bouvy-Coens has spent a few weeks in the Swiss workshops of Kessel where it was fitted out with the full GT3 kit. This immediately adds an additional contender for victory. Coens and Bouvy will, without fail, be on hand for both of the one hour races on Saturday, allowing the fans enough time to be in Spa on Sunday for the 1000 Km of Spa.

Laurent Van Moerkerke is returning to the Viper of Laudi Sport and Robin Maes will be making his debut, replacing Ludovic Sougnez, in the Porsche 996 GT3 Supercup of Olivier Van Oost. In class 2 the Aston Martin Vantage N24 will be carrying an additional 50 kilos and once again we’ll have the pleasure of seeing the Ginetta G50 of KS Motorsport and the Lotus 2 Eleven of Bruynoghe-Steegmans.

Joost Custers