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FIA GT – TOTAL Spa
24 Hours – G2 & G3 Round Up Hezemans & co. of course won this year’s 24 hours of Spa, but the race involved more than just the GT1s and GT2s. Traditionally, national GTs complete the entry at Spa and since last year, the much-promoted GT3s are now also part of the race. Let’s start this round up of both classes with the latter, as the race in G(T)3 was much better than it was in G2. 12 cars took the start at 16.00 on Saturday and about half of them made it to the finish, although another three or four were classified without actually crossing the finish line. The battle for victory in G(T)3 started as a four car one and lasted until noon on Sunday, when the last remaining opponent of the winning Mühlner Porsche crashed out before the new F1 pits. After six hours, the #174 Sport Garage Ferrari of Lessoudier, Jabukoski, Vannelet and Lester was still leading the class, chased by the #124 Mühlner and the #160 ProSpeed Porsches and the winner last year, the #116 Signa Viper. But the 2006 winner was the first to retire. Patrick Chaillet (team owner): “Our first problem appeared very quickly when we had to stop more often due to a fuel pressure problem. Out stints were (only) as long as the GT1s and that’s of course no real advantage with a GT3. Then, all of a sudden the oil pressure dropped and it was all over for Christophe Geoffroy, Laurent Nef and myself. “ Half way through, only two cars remained at front: the Ferrari and the Mühlner Porsche. ProSpeed Competition’s Porsche of Christian Kelders, Christophe Kerkhove, Philippe Greisch and Christian Lefort couldn’t keep up with the leaders, as the car’s progress came to a halt during a mid-race pitstop when the air jack top seal let go. Instead of the jack shooting down to lift the car, the seal shot upwards with such force it dented the roof and took out the throttle cable adjuster. Twenty-eight minutes were lost replacing the adjuster, dropping the #160 car from third in class to fifth, 11 laps behind the then class-leading Ferrari.
The Ferrari and the Mühlner 997 then had a good battle for almost ten hours.
“Although the Ferrari was much faster (about five seconds a lap) they had to stop for fuel about 15 minutes earlier than us for each stint, so we were able to keep them reasonably close every third pit stop or so,” reveals Ian Khan. “What broke the pattern was that when it rained in the night I was out on slicks and at first radioed the pit to say I would probably have to stop for wets. Then the rain stopped so I decided to risk staying out when most others had already pitted for wets and then had to change again later. I think we went from being two laps down to the Ferrari to being two laps up and then the Ferrari crew had to push so hard to try and catch up with us they had an off!” This tactic, plus the need for a brake disc and pad change by the leading challenger, the Ferrari, gave the Mühlner Porsche a good lead. Jabukowski explains what happened next: “I had to avoid a spinning Maserati in the horrendous rain and didn’t see a slow Porsche due to the spray on the straight (the #106 996 Cup) and I hit it heavily. Our great race had come to an end in only a few seconds…” The Mühlner Porsche of Paul Van Splunteren, Ian Khan, Simon Frederiks and Gosse Stielstra was then able to reel off the laps without pressure or stress, running into 14th overall of the 46 car field, comfortably ahead of all other GT3 class cars.
ProSpeed came home second and the French #141 Emeraude Porsche was third, but over 20 laps behind the Belgian Porsche. “Our drivers followed the agreed strategy perfectly and did not let either the competition or the weather put them off their stride,” summarised team boss Bernhard Mühlner. “Our Porsche was perfectly prepared and ran without problem, we just had to refuel it and change tyres, which our experienced pit crew were able to do very quickly. That is the way to win races against tough competition from quicker cars. We’re now looking for drivers for the Zolder 24 hours, a race we want to win.”
Altogether, the battle in GT3 was a good one. It’s worth pointing out that eight of the 12 starters were Porsches – the model that isn’t ‘flavour of the month’ in the one hour races, but is the weapon of choice over 24 hours. Seven of the eight were classified as finishers, although not all were actually running at the end. G2 was a dull race. Both Moslers made it to the end, but neither the winning G&A Mosler, nor the MI Mosler were a match for the GT2s in the overall standings. The Kenis, Smets, Mattheus and De Keersmaecker car finally made it, but not without troubles caused by an early accident for Smets.
The MI Mosler was much faster – as it ran a 7-litre engine instead of the G&A 5-litre – but it came across more delays and finished almost ten laps behind the sister car. The best G2 car in the opening stages was the Gillet Vertigo. Bas Leinders had a tremendous opening stint, but the inexperienced Sarah Bovy ruined it all. The young lady was clearly not up to the level required for this type of racing cars. Renaud Kuppens was very disappointed by what happened and didn’t understand the choice of the young lady by the team. The Italian AB Porsche 996 RS and the little Champion 996 GT3 Cup both retired after accidents. |
