Mercedes takes first Belcar win

The new Mercedes AMG SLS scored its first win in the Belcar Endurance Championship at the weekend as Anthony Kumpen and Koen Wauters guided the KRK Racing-run machine to victory at Zolder.

The triumph was secured after a thrilling race-long battle with the championship leading ProSpeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R of Maxime Soulet and Marc Goossens in front of 15,000 spectators at the WTCC-supporting event.

The lead battle also included the Kuismanen Competition Ford GT of Markus Palttala and Pertti Kuismanen in the early stages, but after Palttala had climbed into the lead, he lost crucial time during a pit stop when the American-built car failed to restart.

With Palttala out of the running the KRK Mercedes and ProSpeed Porsche were left to fight it out for victory, with Kumpen and Wauters eventually crossing the line just 7.182 seconds clear of the Goossens and Soulet car after two hours of racing.

The WRT Audi R8 LMS of Xavier Maassen and Bert Longin completed the podium ahead of the sister car of Enzo Ide and Francois Verbist.

British squad Barwell Motorsport took a solid fifth place, Tim Verbergt and Jeffrey van Hooydonk guiding the team’s Aston Martin DBRS9 home to a solid points haul ahead of the similar car of GPR AMR duo Henri Moser and Michael Schmetz.

Palttala and Kuismanen recovered to net seventh place ahead of the second KRK Mercedes of Kris Wauters and Laurens Vanthoor.

GT Open honours went to Patric Derdaele and Dylan Derdaele in their Belgium Racing Porsche GT3 Cup.

Belcar Endurance Championship results – Round 2, Zolder

Top Ten

1. Kumpen-Koen Wauters (KRK Mercedes SLS) 79 laps
2. Goossens-Soulet (ProSpeed Porsche 911 GT3-R) + 7.182
3. Maassen-Longin (WRT Audi R8 LMS) + 1.01.023
4. Ide-Verbist (WRT Audi R8 LMS) + 1.17.464
5. Verbergt - Van Hooydonk (Petronas Barwell Aston Martin DBRS9) + 1 lap
6. Moser-Schmetz (Sui-Bel/GPR Aston Martin DBRS9) +1 t
7. Kuismanen-Palttala (Fin / Ford GT Kuismanen) + 2 laps
8. Vanthoor-Kris Wauters (KRK Mercedes SLS) + 3 laps,
9. Derdaele-Derdaele (Belgium Racing Porsche GT3 Cup) +4 laps
10. Bouvy-Coens (DRT Corvette Z06) + 4 laps

Championship Standings (after 2 rounds)

1. Goossens-Soulet 37;
2. Maassen Longin-32;
3. Van Hooydonk Verbergt-26;
4. Palttala Kuismanen-22;
5. Kumpen-Koen Wauters & Moser Schmetz-20 ...

Next round: 17-19 June, 12 Hours of Spa

Watch Belcar highlights from Zolder on Saturday 7 May at 1:30pm (BST) on Motors TV.


Andy Wilkinson

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