FIA WEC is the theater for the opening round of the fastest one-make cup in the Benelux
Eight different teams provide fifteen Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – in the hands of fifteen overall title contenders.
Zonhoven, April 23, 2023. The 2023 motorsport season is also just around the corner in the Benelux and enthusiasts of high-quality and competitive one-make cups can indulge themselves again this year. For the eleventh season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, no fewer than 32 cars will be on the starting grid for the first event of the season, including 15 entrants in the PRO class, the entrants going for the overall title. Who will succeed Harry King, the Briton who pocketed the Benelux crown in 2022, that's what it's all about. "No less than 32 cars, almost half of them in the hands of drivers in the PRO class, I think we're in for a very good season, with an intense battle on all fronts", said Series Manager Olivier Aerts at the start of the season in Spa-Francorchamps ahead. “The past, tenth season, already showed that the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux is a very attractive competition, not only for the PRO drivers from the Benelux, but with an image that transcends national borders. This trend is confirmed, with teams and drivers from the Netherlands and Belgium, but also from England, Germany, France, Austria and Israel. They are all young talents who will only make the battle for the title more beautiful. I would also like to express my gratitude to the teams that choose our competition as a platform and all partners involved in this strong sporting and human story.” The competition is therefore about the succession of Harry King and fifteen participants are eligible for this, although a surprise from PRO-AM can never be ruled out. Thirteen teams are getting ready for the first meeting of the season, next Thursday, Friday and Saturday 27, 28 and 29 April at Spa-Francorchamps, as part of the Belgian round of the FIA WEC, which also includes the new Porsche 963 Hypercar participates.
What a starting field!
From England comes Richardson Racing, with Micah Stanley and Robert de Haan. Stanley, with dual German-British nationality, despite being 22 years old, already has a lot of experience in GT cars and has already taken part in a Porsche competition. The Dutchman de Haan is the brand new winner of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe. Revs Motorsport, also from across the Channel, does it again with a Dutchman and a German: Rik Koen and Etienne Ploenes. Koen drove in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux last season and fought to the last meter for the Rookie Championship, Ploenes drove in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux and the German GT4, among others.
JW Raceservice is counting on the 2022 Rookie champion, Lucas van Eijndhoven and Tijn Jilesen, who also accumulated all his kilometers in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux. The Belgian August Racing by NGT competes with two very fast Belgians, namely the vice-champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux 2022, Glenn van Parijs and the vice-champion of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe, Benjamin Paque.
Hans Weijs Motorsport will bring Paul Meijer back to Spa-Francorchamps and he has shown very nice things in single-seater racing in the past, including the legendary Superleague Formula. RedAnt Racing is also entering one Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – in the PRO class, for Sam Dejonghe who really wants to play at the front in his second season.
There is also Q1 Trackracing from Belgium and the Limburg team calls on two young talents, the Dutchman Dirk Schouten and the Frenchman Quentin Antonel. The latter comes from karting and drove the French Formula Renault championship last year, in which he came second, while Dirk Schouten is an adept of GT racing.
Last but not least, Huber Racing is entering no less than three cars, for the fast Dutchman Flynt Schuring, who already had a taste of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux last season, in addition to the brand new champion from the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East, the Israeli Ariel Levi . Finally, there is Horst Felix Felbermayr who also competed in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe last winter and comes from a well-known racing family.
See you this weekend in the Belgian Ardennes for the first appointment of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, with two races of 30 minutes plus one lap.
Let us also note that the free practice sessions take place on Thursday, respectively at 9:45 AM (FP1) and 2:40 PM (FP2), while on Friday we have qualifying at 9:05 AM and Race 1 at 2:35 PM. Race 2 will start at 10.45am as a support act for the 6 Hours Fia WEC which will start at 12.45pm.
As always, both races can be followed on the Youtube (@CarreraCupBenelux), Facebook page and the website of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux!