Victory at 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps

Published on 12 May 2008 by Niels Hendrix

The team Van Merksteijn Motorsport and its drivers, Peter van Merksteijn and Jos Verstappen, claimed victory in the LMP2 class in the third season round of the Le Mans Series at Spa-Francorchamps. In front of 35,000 spectators, among them numerous Dutch fans, Verstappen and Van Merksteijn took their Porsche RS Spyder to victory in class with a margin of 10.387 seconds over Jan Lammers and Didier Theys with the Porsche RS Spyder of the Swiss Horag team. Their second victory of the season, following their earlier win in the season opener at Barcelona and their second place at Monza, allowed Van Merksteijn and Verstappen to extend their lead in the championship standings. After three of five round in this year's Le Mans Series, they have 28 points to their tally, a margin of six points over Danish drivers, Casper Elgaard and John Nielsen.

Starting from pole in class for the third time in a row this season, Jos Verstappen led proceedings during the early stages of the race. Completing double stints with one set of tyres proved to be quite a challenge with the high temperatures in bright sunshine at Spa. "With the first set of tyres, already used in qualifying, it wasn't too easy, but after that, the balance was much better", said Verstappen, who temporarily lost the lead to the quick Lola-Coupé soon after having made his first pit stop. After he had claimed back the lead, he handed over the steering wheel to Peter van Merksteijn. The latter had to come in for an unplanned pit stop to have the front section of the car replaced after the headlights weren't working properly, as required by the regulations in the Le Mans Series. The car temporarily dropped back to third in class while the safety-car was out twice during Van Merksteijn's stint. "The safety car caused some chaos as I had to overtake many cars again after that. Once, I briefly lost concentration and spun, fortunately with no damage", Van Merksteijn reported.

On lap 98, Verstappen got back into the car for his second and final stint and soon moved back up to first place in the category. The closing stages of the race were marked by a third safety car intervention with the final dash to the chequered flag a quick four-lap sprint. Verstappen duly defended his position and drove victory home. "It was by no means easy. There was a lot of action in this race and we had to remain focussed all the time in order to avoid mistakes in the dense traffic", Verstappen reported. "All the support from the Dutch fans with their banners opposite our pit box was a big motivation boost as well. You really notice that LMS racing is becoming more and more popular in The Netherlands." Team owner, Peter van Merksteijn commented: "It was a spectacular race, a real classic in the best tradition of the Spa 1000 Kilometres. Once again, our car was perfect and the team did a tremendous job. Now, we are looking forward to Le Mans!"

The results of the 1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps:

Overall:

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1  7 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1  143  1:59.883  6
 2  2 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  143  2:02.039  5
 3  6 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  140  2:04.787  5
 4  1 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  139  2:01.172  8
 5 16 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  139  2:05.746  5
 6 34 Van Merksteijn Motorsport  Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  138  2:06.711  6
 7 37 Horag Racing               Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2	 138  2:07.664  5
 8 17 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  137  2:07.143  5
 9 31 Team Essex                 Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  135  2:07.929  6
10 15 Creation AIM               Creation - Aim            LMP1  134  2:07.271  6
11 35 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP2  134  2:09.734  5
12 20 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1  133  2:07.848  6
13 41 Trading Performance        Zytek 07S                 LMP2  133  2:10.086  5
14 72 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1 130  2:17.441  6
15  4 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  130  2:12.086  7
16 55 IPB Spartak Racing         Lamborghini               LMGT1 129  2:17.938  6
17 33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah   Lola Judd                 LMP2  128  2:07.074  6
18 59 Team Modena                Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 127  2:16.625  5
19 96 Virgo Motorsport           Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 126  2:23.158  4
20 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 126  2:23.094  4
21 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 123  2:26.711  4
22 94 Speedy Racing Team         Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 123  2:26.906  4
23 99 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 123  2:26.769  4
24 76 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 122  2:23.371  4
25 98 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 122  2:25.840  4
26 61 Strakka Racing             Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 121  2:21.863  5
27 95 James Watt Automotive      Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 121  2:25.562  6
28 85 Snoras Spyker Squadron     Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 118  2:25.719  5
29 18 Rollcentre Racing          Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  112  2:08.537  5
30 25 RML                        Lola MG                   LMP2  111  2:10.441  6
31 10 Charouz Racing System      Lola Aston Martin         LMP1  107  2:02.875  8
32 26 Bruichladdich Radical      Radical AER               LMP2  106  2:13.812  5
33 91 Farnbacher Racing          Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  95  2:23.687  5
34 90 Farnbacher Racing          Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2  93  2:22.918  5
35 45 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2   77  2:10.195  4
36  3 Scuderia Lavaggi           Lavaggi AER               LMP1   66  2:11.037  4
37 32 Barazi Epsilon             Zytek 07S                 LMP2   62  2:08.682  7
38  8 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1   56  1:59.955  2
39 75 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  49  2:27.455  2
40 40 Quifel ASM Team            Lola AER                  LMP2   35  2:09.924  3
41 73 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1  26  2:21.441  1

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1  7 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1  143  1:59.883  6
 2  2 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  143  2:02.039  5
 3  6 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  140  2:04.787  5
 4  1 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  139  2:01.172  8
 5 16 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  139  2:05.746  5
 6 17 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  137  2:07.143  5
 7 15 Creation AIM               Creation - Aim            LMP1  134  2:07.271  6
 8 20 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1  133  2:07.848  6
 9  4 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  130  2:12.086  7
10 18 Rollcentre Racing          Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  112  2:08.537  5
11 10 Charouz Racing System      Lola Aston Martin         LMP1  107  2:02.875  8
12  3 Scuderia Lavaggi           Lavaggi AER               LMP1   66  2:11.037  4
13  8 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1   56  1:59.955  2

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 34 Van Merksteijn Motorsport  Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  138  2:06.711  6
 2 37 Horag Racing               Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2	 138  2:07.664  5
 3 31 Team Essex                 Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  135  2:07.929  6
 4 35 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP2  134  2:09.734  5
 5 41 Trading Performance        Zytek 07S                 LMP2  133  2:10.086  5
 6 33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah   Lola Judd                 LMP2  128  2:07.074  6
 7 25 RML                        Lola MG                   LMP2  111  2:10.441  6
 8 26 Bruichladdich Radical      Radical AER               LMP2  106  2:13.812  5
 9 45 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2   77  2:10.195  4
10 32 Barazi Epsilon             Zytek 07S                 LMP2   62  2:08.682  7
11 40 Quifel ASM Team            Lola AER                  LMP2   35  2:09.924  3

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 72 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1 130  2:17.441  6
 2 55 IPB Spartak Racing         Lamborghini               LMGT1 129  2:17.938  6
 3 59 Team Modena                Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 127  2:16.625  5
 4 61 Strakka Racing             Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 121  2:21.863  5
 5 73 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1  26  2:21.441  1

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 96 Virgo Motorsport           Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 126  2:23.158  4
 2 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 126  2:23.094  4
 3 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 123  2:26.711  4
 4 94 Speedy Racing Team         Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 123  2:26.906  4
 5 99 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 123  2:26.769  4
 6 76 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 122  2:23.371  4
 7 98 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 122  2:25.840  4
 8 95 James Watt Automotive      Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 121  2:25.562  6
 9 85 Snoras Spyker Squadron     Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 118  2:25.719  5
10 91 Farnbacher Racing          Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  95  2:23.687  5
11 90 Farnbacher Racing          Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2  93  2:22.918  5
12 75 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  49  2:27.455  2

Niels Hendrix