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29.07.2007
Eric De Doncker clinches another victory and increases his leadership in the championship ! GT4 European Cup / 3. Francorchamps
Third meeting of the GT4 European Cup held this weekend, as curtain raiser to the 24 Hours of Spa, highlight event of the FIA-GT championship. Ideal opportunity for Eric De Doncker and the entire Thermosulit Motorsport 98 team to leave their mark, gaining one podium and a victory, giving the Belgian driver a considerable lead in the championship … On a circuit De Doncker knows well, the driver had every intention to outshine the others as from the beginning of this exceptional weekend. However on a dry track the Ford Mustang FR 500 C didn’t immediately find itself at home and the Thermosulit driver was unable to claim pole position during the qualifying sessions. As these GT4 races are highly competitive Eric had every ambition of attaining the right rhythm as from the start of the first heat, held on Friday afternoon. "The track was dry with sunny conditions, but I was unable to prevent the Porsche and the Nissan from charging ahead. On top of that I very soon experienced problems trying to engage my 3rd and 4th gears. I therefore found myself evolving in 3rd place, trying to gather a maximum number of points for the championship. This is my ambition for Ford, quite obviously …" Complete change around this Saturday morning, with a rain soaked track which would considerably alter matters. "Some feared for the Mustang under these conditions, but I have always had an excellent feeling in wet conditions ", Eric continued."This comes from my experience on a motorbike. The whole night long I imagined the best scenario possible, allowing for the perfect start and to be in a leader’s position just before Combes… " And the dream became a reality, with a perfect start for the Ford Mustang, taking on a duel with the Porsche of Soulet, prior to turning into Combes … in the lead ! "During the first lap I tried everything to obtain a small lead over my immediate followers, namely the Porsche and the two Nissans. In fact the car was perfect between the Source and the double left, but not quite as good in the sector 2. I also had to battle with a major problem of my windscreen fogging up, especially when it really started to pour down. By the end of the race I couldn’t see anything on the right anymore; not ideal when you’re looking for the perfect line. But luckily it didn’t compromise my performance and even though I didn’t see the chequered flag as I crossed the line, this second win of the season has really made me extremely happy …" A victory which gives Eric De Doncker a considerable lead in the championship, which amounts to some 20 points, and this prior to the two last meetings at Nogaro and Hockenheim, the latter being held during the final of the DTM. I would like to dedicate this victory to the entire Thermosulit Motorsport 98 team, who performed brilliantly during the entire weekend. ", an overjoyed Eric commented. "On Friday evening they swapped the clutch and gearbox and on Saturday the Mustang was back to its old self. This new victory is also great for Ford, which has put in an enormous effort to excel in GT4. This is a category which undoubtedly will evolve in the coming future. It was therefore important to be in on the act right from the start.."
- Vincent Franssen, photo Jacques Létihon - more photos on automobilsport.com under PHOTOS - 24h Races
Author: maggy (admin2)
Last modified: Sunday, 29.07.2007 - 08:00 More reports from this category all copyright automobilsport.com.
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