This weekend on the French Magny-Cours circuit, located some 300 kilometres south of Paris, the fourth round of the Blancpain Endurance Series is taking place. This brand new endurance championship for GT cars is now in its fourth and fifth meetings, with the final being held at the beginning of October on the British F1 circuit of Silverstone. Following on from the 24 Hours of Spa ALD Automotive/Vita4One Ferrari is still in a position to clinch the title in both the Pro as also the Pro/Am class. Frank Kechele is presently lying fourth in the Pro class and the young German teamed up with his fellow countryman Michael Bartels and the Belgian talent Nico Verdonck will do everything in their powers to reduce he gap with their nearest rivals with a view to the final round. Louis Machiels, Niek Hommerson and Paul van Splunteren are lying second in the Pro/Am class and are definitely out for revenge following the unsavoury affair during the 24 Hours of Spa.
At Magny-Cours the Blancpain Endurance Series is back to its classic format of three hours or 180 minutes, after the 24 Hours event at Spa-Francorchamps.
Nico Verdonck: “We’re racing on Saturday evening as opposed to the traditional Sunday race. It will therefore be a sort of evening race, which brings a rather different atmosphere with it. Recently with ALD Automotive Volvo I also competed in the 12 Hours of Spa after which also in the 24 Hours of Spa in the Ferrari, so dusk shouldn’t be a problem. On the other hand the weather could well be a killjoy, because after a very dry week rain showers are forecast for Friday and Saturday. I know the circuit from past experience and reckon that we should come out pretty strongly, something we definitely need to do if we want to have any chance of claiming the title. For my part I’m highly motivated, just like the rest of the team. The 24 Hours of Spa was a great disappointment and the best way in which to wash away that disappointment is to come up with a resounding performance.”
Nico Verdonck is once again paired up with his regular team mates Michael Bartels and Frank Kechele in the Ferrari 458 bearing start number #1.
The Belgo-Dutch trio comprised of Louis Machiels, Niek Hommerson and Paul van Splunteren are heading off to France with high ambitions, seeing they are a very close second in the Pro/am-Cup, a short distance from the leaders.
Louis Machiels: “It goes without saying that we want to win the championship and that is perfectly achievable. We’re not that far behind, but matters might have been even better had we not been confronted and faced with the injustice we experienced in the 24 Hours of Spa. Had we not been unjustly disqualified in that race we would now have been in a leaders’ position, which would have meant being on the defensive as opposed to having to go out and chase. This whole Spa affair, and definitely the attitude of the Clerk of the Course is something I still can’t digest, but on the other hand it is an enormous motivation to tackle Magny-Cours with great strength and might.”
Louis Machiels, Niek Hommerson and Paul van Splunteren will be at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 with start number #2.
Source : ALD/Vita4One