Twenty drivers ready for the twelfth season of the fastest one-make cup in the Benelux
Many fast newcomers and a high sporting level promise the best for the 2024 season
Circuit Zandvoort, April 3, 2024. This time it was not the Belgian Ardennes, but the Dutch North Sea coast that formed the theater for the annual test day of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. That test day traditionally heralds the new season, a season that, as usual, starts during the Belgian round of the FIA WEC at Spa-Francorchamps on May 9, 10 and 11. In Zandvoort, both the well-known names and the newcomers drove their first meters of the season, often with a brand new livery for their various Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992.
Anyone who can predict who will be the 2024 champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux will undoubtedly have an excellent crystal ball. The sporting level not only looks very high, it also seems that the battle on track will be very open.
“More than half of our participants are new,” says Series Manager Olivier Aerts in Zandvoort. “This not only means that our, often young drivers, move on to other Porsche competitions, such as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, as fits into Porsche's competition pyramid, but also that there is a flow from other competitions to our Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux. This could be the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe or Benelux, but we also see people coming from karting or other external or non-external competitions. We have many newcomers this season, including eight 'Rookies' and anyone who has followed our competition closely in recent seasons knows the importance we attach to young drivers and our Talent Pool.”
Not only does the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux have new names among its drivers, with 39 Racing, EST1 Racing and Porsche Estonia, the competition also has newcomers among its teams. “Great, also in the context of the team championship that we are organizing for the second consecutive time,” said Olivier Aerts.
Homogeneous and fast starting field
We will of course see some well-known names in the starting field of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux 2024, including Paul Meijer (Hans Weijs Motorsport), Sacha Norden (JW Raceservice and PRO-AM champion 2023), Dirk Schouten (Q1) in the PRO class. Track Racing), Benjamin Paque and Robin Knutsson (both NGT Racing). “I am completing a full season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux for the first time and with the experience and professionalism of NGT Racing, I think our goal should be the title,” said Paque. “I also want to race even more at the front and will again call on Q1 Trackracing,” says Dirk Schouten, who achieved his first podium in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux at the end of 2023.
They compete against some newcomers who are not 'Rookie'. This of course includes the previously announced two-time WRC world champion Kalle Rovanperä (RedAnt Racing), but also the Dutch veteran and touring car specialist Niels Langeveld (Q1 Trackracing). “It is a completely different machine than the TCR cars and it represents a completely new challenge,” said Niels Langeveld.
Jurriaan de Back (Hans Weijs Motorsport), Alexander Reimann (EST1 Racing and reigning champion PRO-AM Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe), Thomas Kangro (Porsche Estonia), Dréke Janssen (RedAnt Racing), Kobe Pauwels (NGT Racing), Nick Ho (PG Motorsport), Sam Jongejan (Team RaceArt) and the reigning champion of the Porsche Sprint Challenge NEZ, Valters Aigars Zviedris (Q1 Trackracing), from Latvia, will be in charge in the 'ROOKIE' class.
“It will take some adjustment, but I'm really looking forward to it and this competition looks very strong,” says Kobe Pauwels in Zandvoort.
Finally, Ziad Geris (PG Motorsport), Jani Käkelä (39 Racing), Cedric Chassang (Team GP Elite and AM Champion 2023), Maik Rosenberg (Team GP Elite) and Jules Grouwels (Team RaceArt) will determine the PRO class. AM will win in 2024.
Continuity is an asset
The rules of the game remain virtually identical this season, one of the strengths of the fastest brand cup in the Benelux. After the free practices and qualifying, two races of 30 minutes and one lap follow. As previously indicated, there is one notable change, because from 2024 the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux will have a general classification, a PRO-AM class, and the ranking for rookies. They also get their own podium ceremony after each race. The calendar naturally has six race meetings and you will also find that calendar in the appendix.
Of course, there is also a live stream of every race, for the many fans of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux!
So make an appointment on May 9, 10 and 11 in Spa-Francorchamps!
More info: carreracupbenelux.com
