Clay, Geris and Polderman–Van Rompuy open the 2026 Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux season with victories at Circuit Zolder

May 3
2 min read

Three races, three times spectacle on Limburg asphalt
Clay takes the first, Geris strikes back, Clay confirms over the longer distance

Circuit Zolder, 3 May 2026. On the Belgian-Limburg asphalt of Circuit Zolder, the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux completed the first meeting of the season. As is tradition, all action was packed into a single day. The result: three exciting and hard-fought races, with Frenchman Tristan Pierre Jonathan Clay (NGT Racing) and the duo Mauro Polderman–Tom Van Rompuy (NGT Racing) heading home as championship leaders in the ‘992’ and ‘Clubsport’ classes respectively.

The Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux features three races per race day in 2026, with two 25-minute sprints and one longer 45-minute race including a mandatory pitstop. With that format, drivers and teams travelled to Circuit Zolder for the season opener.

Tristan Pierre Jonathan Clay takes the first of the season

Frenchman Tristan Pierre Jonathan Clay secured pole position twice during qualifying. Tom Van Rompuy and young Mauro Polderman did the same in the ‘Clubsport’ division, before the field lined up for the first green light of the season.

In the opening race, Ziad Geris (Team GP Elite) put Clay under pressure throughout, but in the end it was the Frenchman who crossed the finish line first, ahead of Geris and Lex Quintens (NGT Racing).

In the ‘Clubsport’ division, the win went to Tom Van Rompuy, although the FIA WEC driver faced strong opposition from Philipp Thomas (Team GP Elite) and Belle Rappange (Team GP Elite), who finished third.

Geris takes revenge

Ziad Geris wasted no time and claimed his first win of the season in the second sprint race. He won ahead of Tristan Pierre Jonathan Clay and an impressively strong Mauro Polderman, who also took victory in ‘Clubsport’.

Mathias Beke (NGT Racing) finished fourth and secured the third podium spot in the ‘992’ division. Guido Schmitt (Team GP Elite) ended the race, just like in the first, in fourth place, narrowly missing out on the podium.

In ‘Clubsport’, Belle Rappange moved up into second place, ahead of Philipp Thomas. Marco Van Der Poel (Team GP Elite) was once again fourth.

Clay also the strongest over 45 minutes

The new 45-minute race with mandatory pitstop also went to Tristan Pierre Jonathan Clay, giving him his second win of the day.

“I had a great day and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season,” said the NGT driver. “I come from other one-make championships, and racing a Porsche like this is something special.”

Ziad Geris finished second, ahead of Ivan Dobik (HADECA Racing), who bounced back strongly after misfortune in the first two races. Lex Quintens and Mathias Beke followed in fourth and fifth, ahead of Guido Schmitt.

Tom Van Rompuy and Mauro Polderman also took victory together in the final race, but once again faced strong opposition from Belle Rappange, who finished second just four tenths of a second behind. Philipp Thomas finished third, ahead of Marco Van Der Poel and the duo Arno Johnson–Jan Lezer.

Next up is the second round of the season on 4 June, with the test day taking place on 3 June.