The highlight of the Belgian motorsport season, the 24 Hours of Zolder, once again delivered a true endurance test. Belgium Racing lined up with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup #98 and drivers Brent Verheyen, Michael Cool, Oscar Gräperand Olivier Bertels in the GTC class of the Belcar Endurance Championship. The team drove a clean and consistent race, ultimately securing a strong fourth place, just shy of the podium.
The week began on Wednesday with the traditional parade to the Heldenplein in Heusden-Zolder, where fans were able to meet the drivers and get up close to the cars. On Thursday, the first free practice sessions allowed the team to fine-tune race pace and driver changes, before moving into qualifying and Super Pole. Michael Cool put the car in eighth position on the grid, while the evening’s night practice provided valuable preparation for the long hours to come. Friday was all about the final technical checks and race build-up.
On Saturday morning, Belgium Racing showed its speed by setting the fastest lap in warm-up. After the gridwalk and autograph session, the race got underway at 16:00. Michael took the start and delivered a strong opening stint, handing the car back in second overall. Brent then took over with equally competitive pace, although the team was unlucky with a poorly timed Full Course Yellow, dropping a few places compared to their rivals. From there, the #98 crew settled into a faultless rhythm: consistent lap times, clean stints, and precise teamwork.
During the night, Brent returned for another stint and pushed hard to climb back up the order. Oscar followed with a steady drive in light rain, keeping the car perfectly under control, before Olivier completed two strong stints on full wet tyres on Sunday morning. Brent was tasked with the final stint to the finish, where the battle for fourth remained tense. By carefully matching the lap times of the chasing car, he managed the gap without taking unnecessary risks. With thirty minutes remaining, the rain intensified, but Belgium Racing responded immediately, pitting for wet tyres at the same time as their direct rivals. The strategy paid off: no time lost, no mistakes, and the team crossed the line in fourth place overall and in class.
“We drove a faultless race from start to finish,” said Brent Verheyen. “The team in the pits and my fellow drivers did an incredible job. Of course it’s a little disappointing to miss out on the podium, but in such a strong field we can be proud of this fourth place. We all enjoyed the race and showed our strength. Next year we’ll come back fighting again.”
There is little time to rest after Zolder. Next weekend, Brent will be back on track in the 8 Hours of Le Mans Fun Cup, teaming up with Colin Coox with the clear goal of fighting for victory.
