Zolder, as seen by the Belgians

With a large Belgian contingent competing in the FIA GT Championship, we asked them three questions : what do you think about Zolder as a circuit, what are your memories of the track, and what are your thoughts about this next round. Here’s what they said :

"Zolder is my home track. I used to live not very far from the circuit and it was here that I drove for the first time with a single-seater race car. On top of that I was a "Racing for Zolder" driver, meaning that they helped me as much as possible to get into Formula 1, just like they did with Thierry Boutsen in the early eighties.

I still enjoy coming to Zolder as it always has a unique atmosphere in the Paddock, the spectators know racing very well and it is always nice to have an audience that is keen to see some good racing. Winning in our class here would mean more then on any other circuit for me."

"Zolder will be a hectic weekend for us, with two Belgian GT races on Sunday as well as the FIA GT race, as well as two Warm-up session. On the Saturday we’ll have two FIA GT practice sessions, the FIA GT qualifying and two Belgian GT qualifyings. So we will have a very tight timing.

I am definitely look forward to the race. I really hope we will have no technical issues this time. It would be good to finish our home race on the podium. It has been my most dramatic racing season ever. I am really glad that the season is over and that we can start to work on a new project for 2009, although after such a bad season it will not be easy."

Vincent Vosse, a regular FIA GT competitor since 1999, will be driving the nr 7 Larbre Competition Saleen S7R :

"Zolder is quite an atypical circuit, with a few stop and go sections after a very fast first part. It is always an advantage for the Belgian drivers here, as few of the foreigners really know it. Drivers like Kumpen, Longin or myself who have been racing for a number of years race here at least three or four times a year in national GT or touring Championships. There is always a good atmosphere.

I have a lot of good memories. I’ve done the Belgian GT Championship around 10 times, after my first full season in 1996. I won the 24 Hours of Zolder in 1997 with a Porsche GT2, along with Marc Goossens and Patrick Huysmans. Another good memory is our win in 2007 with a Renault Megane Red Bull, crowning two years of work with a title.

My biggest disappointment would be 1999, with the GLPK Viper, along with Didier Defourny. Unfortunately, during the last refueling stop, we could not get going again, while we were leading ahead of the factory Vipers of Beretta-Wendlinger and Belloc-Duez.

As for this year, after Nogaro, our hopes are high. We hope to grab a podium to finish the European season in style."

Greg Franchi is Vincent’s team-mate in the nr 7 Larbre Competition Saleen S7R; this is his first full season in the Championship:

"It’s difficult to compare Zolder to other circuits. The first sector is very fast, and the rest much slower. That’s why you need good brakes, especially for the heavy braking in front of the three chicanes.

We often find the track quite dirty at the start of the weekend, due to the heavy rain that falls in the area, and some of the ever-present sand.

I have a number of good memories, with important wins this year in Belgian GT, where I am still fighting for the title. I won one of my first single-seater races at the track, in Formula Ford Benelux, in 2001. On the down side, I also had one of my biggest crashes of my career there, at the Bianchi corner.

I think we can hope to aim for a good result here, as we did in Nogaro. The Saleen is very quick in the dry, and it does not use its tyres much. However, in the rain, we do not have much data about this sort of track."

"Zolder is just 20 minutes from where I live, so I’m really looking forward to the event. I’ve done many, many laps at Zolder over the years; we’ve also done some events there during the year driving people around, which is always a big thrill. I know the track like no other one, a bit like Spa, my second home race. We really want to push hard, and we’re looking good.

Zolder has always been special to me. I had one massive race there in Formula Ford. I was on the front row but had a broken clutch at the start, went into the first corner down in P12 and still managed to finish on the podium. I think it was one of the best races I’ve ever done. I also finished on the podium there in the Eurocup which was good, as there was a strong international field.

I did the Zolder Touring Cup with a sponsor of mine in a Renault Clio, winning the Championship with three race wins. So I’ve got some good memories of the podium there. As for this year, it’s going to be quite difficult especially if you have weight. There should be plenty of spectators, and hopefully we’ll have a good race. Weather-wise, it’ll be a difficult one. You expect a bit of rain but you never know. I hope it’ll be dry for the spectators."

"After racing on the national circuit for many years the team has now reached the international stage, so it’s nice to be racing at home for once. I have some good memories of the track, and we won the 24 Hours of Zolder twice.

When the team started, all our racing was at Zolder or Spa. Then five years ago we started racing in France, and it was nice to discover some new tracks. But this year, I haven’t done a single lap at Zolder, I haven’t even been there, so it will be the first time for us to go there, especially with the Corvette C6, Bouchut and Maassen and we’ll try to get a good result."

- Jacquie Groom, FIA -

photos from Zolder will be on automobilsport.com under PHOTOS - FIAGT