Victories in GT4 RS AM go to Menno van de Grijspaarde and G. King
Season finales set for October 9th at the Dutch North Sea
Spa-Francorchamps, September 6 – Spa-Francorchamps hosted two sprint races on Friday as part of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux. During the Michelin 992 Endurance Cup in the Belgian Ardennes, there was also room for short, intense competitions, which saw two notable winners emerge. Philippe Wils (Q1 Trackracing) clinched his first-ever win on Friday, while young Bulgarian Alexandra Vateva (Team Laptime-Performance) secured her debut victory in the second race. Menno van de Grijspaarde (Team GP Elite) and G. King (W.D.P. Racing) were the fastest drivers in the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS category. Following the Ardennes race, the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux will conclude its season on Wednesday, October 9th, at Circuit Zandvoort, located on the Dutch coast.
Like previous rounds of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux, all on-track activities at Spa-Francorchamps were completed within a single day. The first qualifying session resulted in a pole position for Nicolas Vandierendonck (Q1 Trackracing), who also topped the 992 AM class, followed by Alexandra Vateva taking the top spot in the 992 class. Dino van der Geest (Team GP Elite), G. King, and Martijn Peters (JW Raceservice) took pole positions in the GT4 RS, GT4 RS AM, and 991 classes, respectively. In the second qualifying session, it was Philippe Wils who secured pole, while Michael Cool, representing Belgium Racing, was the fastest in the 992 class. Dino van der Geest, G. King, and Martijn Peters repeated their strong performances from the first session.
Wils’ First Victory!
A race incident just after the start caused a brief interruption in Race 1, but after swift action by safety personnel, the race resumed. Philippe Wils capitalized on the opportunity and delivered a flawless performance, taking the win after 30 minutes of racing, ahead of Lennart Hiemstra (Triple & Crown Racing) and Alexandra Vateva, the winner of the 992 class.
“This is fantastic,” said a beaming Philippe Wils on the podium in the Ardennes. “I already won a race in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Southern Europe this winter, and now one in the Benelux series. I’m thrilled, and I owe it to my team, who played a big part in this victory. I can’t wait for more!”
Behind the top three, the GT4 RS AM class saw a new podium, with Menno van de Grijspaarde, G. King, and Henk van Norel (Snel Motorsport) finishing in that order after a fierce battle. Sander Pielkenrood (RFF Motorsport) and Martijn Peters were the fastest in the GT4 RS and 991 classes, respectively.
The First Lady Race 2 held another surprise, with a stunning victory for Bulgarian Alexandra Vateva.
“What a win! It certainly wasn’t an easy one,” said the 20-year-old. “It was my first time at Spa-Francorchamps, the track was wet, and to top it all off, it was dark. Everything came together to make it a challenging race,” she added. “I see this as an important step in my journey, and this competition is the perfect preparation for what lies ahead. I’m really going to enjoy this moment!”
Nicolas Vandierendonck and Philippe Wils finished second and third, respectively, securing a one-two finish for Q1 Trackracing in the 992 AM class. Alfred Lenferink (Hans Weijs Motorsport) rounded out the podium in third place.
In the GT4 RS AM class, G. King, Menno van de Grijspaarde, and Henk van Norel once again treated the audience to a fantastic race, finishing in that order. Sander Pielkenrood claimed the win in the GT4 RS class.
Mark your calendars for the season finale on October 9th at Circuit Zandvoort in the Netherlands!
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