ProSpeed Competition scores an excellent second place in GT2

ProSpeed Competition with their three man team comprised of Richard Westbrook, Emmanuel Collard and Marc Lieb clinched a hard fought second place in the 24 Hours of Spa -Francorchamps, the fifth race of the FIA GT championship. The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR was continuously up in the top ranks and finally finished three laps down from the winners in GT2.

Unfortunately the second Porsche 911 GT3 RSR with Markus Palttala, Mikael Forsten, Wolf Henzler and Geoffroy Horion had to retire prematurely as the result of a drive shaft problem, but they also showed their worth up front in the GT2 category.

And finally there was the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S driven by David Dermont, David Loix, Franz Lamot and Jan Heylen, who after an excellent race even took over the lead in the morning, only to lose some ten laps due to a technical problem finally crossing the line in fourth place.

ProSpeed Competition qualified the Porsches #60 en #61 respectively in fifth and sixth position, perhaps not immediately the wished for result. "I’ll be truly honest here, we had expected something better", was Rudi Penders initial comment.

"We never really found the correct set-up with which to slot ourselves up front. But all in all we’re only talking about a mere second, we just simply lacked that last touch required to achieve the pole-position." In its category the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S also finished in fifth place.

On the dot of 16:00hrs the start of the 60th edition of the 24 Hours of Spa was given and both GT2 Porsches of the Liege based team were immediately amongst the front runners.

After six hours and twelve hours the #61 Porsche of Lieb, Collard and Westbrook came through respectively in third and second place, and twelve hours later safely took the chequered flag in second place.

Richard Westbrook: "The opposition was exceptionally strong, and bar one we were able to beat them all, a great result but not quite enough to claim victory. In reality we didn’t encounter any problems, but came up against that one faster opponent.

But OK we scored 15 points, which helps us in the rankings." "We’re sitting in the press conference and not as yet in the Stewards Room which must be the first time this season, so to be honest I’m really quite pleased..," the Brit humorously concluded

Marc Lieb jumped in: "The weather played enormous tricks on us, and perhaps we didn’t always have the correct solution for these ever changing conditions and as such our second place is a well deserved result."

After six hours of racing the car driven by Palttala, Horion, Henzler and Försten was in sixth place, but just before midnight technical problems put an end to their strong performance. "That’s racing", a philosophical Geoffroy Horion remarked. "You can always experience a technical problem and one needs to accept that."

The race of the GT3 could be compared to that of the #61, a strong attack from Heylen, Dermont, Loix and Lamot, which unfortunately came to an end in the pitlane. Franz Lamot: "We finished fourth, but we could have done far better, in fact to be honest victory would have been feasible. However we’re out for our revenge at Zolder during the 24 Hours being held there."

1. Malucelli/Ruberti/Camathias/Rigon Ferrari F430 555 laps

2. Collard/Westbrook/Lieb Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997) 552 laps

3. Bruni/Vilander/Melo/Salo Ferrari F430 550 laps

-JF Van Laere -  photos PROSPEED & SRO