Weekend Racing Roundup, 7.28

A Sportscar365 Weekend Racing Roundup from Spa-Francorchamps this time where the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe, Belgian Racing Car Championship and GT4 European Series joined the Blancpain Endurance Series at the Total 24 Hours of Spa weekend.

GT4 European Series
The first race of the GT4 European Series at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit resulted in the third win of the season for Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport drivers Bernhard van Oranje and Ricardo van der Ende (NED/NED). After 19 laps the Camaro GT4 of Duncan Huisman and Luc Braams (NED/NED) finished ahead of the BMW M3 GT4, but a time penalty for driving standards relegated Braams and Huisman to second place.

Marcel Nooren and Jan Joris Verheul claimed their first win in race two. The two V8 Racing Camaro’s pulled away at the start and Nooren past teammate Luc Braams soon after the pit stops. A long safety car period resulted in a last lap shootout. Two Nova Race Ginettas (Stefanelli/Marcucci and Tineo/Speakerwas) passed several cars on the last lap and eventually finished in second and third place, before being penalized for overtaking under the safety car.

Race 1: 1. Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport (Van der Ende/van Oranje) BMW M3 GT4, 2. V8 Racing (Huisman/Braams) Camaro, 3. V8 Racing (Verheul/Nooren) Camaro.

Race 2: 1. V8 Racing (Verheul/Nooren) Camaro, 2. Nova Race (Magnoni) Ginetta, 3. Nova Race (Lasagni) Ginetta.

Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Europe
Round four of the European series at Spa saw Bonaldi Motorsport drivers Eduardo Piscopo and Milos Pavlovic take an important step towards winning the title. Pole-sitter and teammate Mirko Bortolotti retired from the lead after a puncture, Alberto Di Folco inherited the lead but a brake issue caused him to drop back. Piscopo/Pavlovic fought with Dutchman Jeroen Mul and beat him to take their third win of the season, crossing the line just 0.318s ahead of Mul.

On Saturday Pavlovic and Piscopo went on to take another win, this time leading the race from start to finish. Jeroen Mul finished in second place, which means the Lamborghini Young Drivers Program driver remains in contention to win the 2014 title.

Race 1: Bonaldi Motorsport (Piscopo/Pavlovic), 2. Automobili Lamborghini RT Germany (Mul), 3. Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L (Di Luca)

Race 2: Bonaldi Motorsport (Piscopo/Pavlovic), 2. Automobili Lamborghini RT Germany (Mul), 3. Autocarrozzeria Imperiale S.R.L (Di Luca)

Belgian Racing Car Championship
Brussels Racing took a one-two in the first race on Friday. The Aston Martins started from the front row, but it was the Belgium Racing Porsche that took the lead. The Aston drivers never let go of the Porsche and the only chance to win the race was a different pit strategy. Both Astons pitted twice during a safety car period, while the Porsche team hoped for rain. The rain eventually came down, but wasn’t enough for the Aston Martins to come in again. The Porsche did and lost the lead.

In race two there were different strategies as well, but once again it was an Aston Martin taking victory. A stranded car caused a long safety car period, which the teams used to get another stop out of the way. Brussels Racing lost a minute in the pit, but Michaël Schmetz did rejoin in front of the Porsche of Dylan Derdaele, but there was never going to be a fight for the win as another crash resulted in a red flag and the race not restarted.

Race 1: 1. Brussels Racing (Grivegnée/Schmetz) Aston Martin, 2. Brussels Racing (Verbergt/Redant/Coens) Aston Martin, 3. Belgium Racing (Derdaele/Heyer/Maassen) Porsche.

Race 2: 1. Brussels Racing (Schmetz/Bouvy), Aston Martin, 2. Belgium Racing (Derdaele/Heyer/Maassen) Porsche, 3. JB Motorsport (Brunstedt) Audi.