26/08/2024
D'Ieteren Luxury Performance wins the 24 Hours of Zolder 2024
With a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup tuned by the NGT Racing team of Marc Maton and Lionel Hansen, and a superb quintet of drivers made up of Benjamin Paque, Kobe Pauwels, Bertrand Baguette, Glenn Van Parijs and Robin Knutsson, D'Ieteren Luxury Performance avoided all the pitfalls of the 46th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder, staying constantly in the top three before making the break with two hours to go and racing to victory!
For the #15 Porsche in the colours of D'Ieteren Luxury Performance, there was only one objective at the start of the 24 Hours of Zolder: victory! And just like last year, the NGT Racing-backed car produced a perfect performance to win the overall classification, with a 4-laps lead over another car from the German marque...
“Nothing had been left to chance in the preparations for the event,’ commented Team Principal Marc Maton and Team Manager Lionel Hansen. We had drawn up a timetable which the drivers followed to the letter, without making the slightest mistake. This 2024 edition was undoubtedly a great vintage, with some strong competition, but also the rain that invited itself to the party on Saturday evening. We had to stay calm, get through it, and not deviate from our way of doing things..."
With some very strong direct rivals, who didn't hesitate to be very quick at the height of the battle for the lead, it was also important not to lose sight of the specific characteristics of the 24 Hours of Zolder. "We were quite surprised by the pace of our most dangerous rivals,’ continue Marc Maton and Lionel Hansen. We know that the Zolder circuit is very demanding, especially for the brakes. It's no coincidence that these 24 Hours are among the most complicated to manage for a team. We had planned to replace the brake discs, and not just the pads, to avoid any unfortunate problems. Our rivals chose a different route, which was a daring one, and which didn't prove very successful. Faced with their problems with the discs, we even decided to play the safety card with an hour to go, by changing them again. And we were right to do so... "
D'Ieteren Luxury Performance crossed the chequered flag with a 4-laps advantage, with local man Glenn Van Parijs taking his second victory of the 24 Hours of Zolder, while Bertrand Baguette, Benjamin Paque, Kobe Pauwels and Robin Knutsson all took their first. “Hats off to all our drivers for a job well done,’ concludes the duo at the head of the team. The strategy was adapted according to each driver's potential and experience, and in the end it paid off. Glenn and Bertrand were able to put their experience to good use, bringing the rest of the team together. Watching them take turns in complete safety is a real pleasure, as seen from the pit wall. As for our three drivers from the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, they clearly did the job they were asked to do. Well done to them, thanks to all the team members... and champagne!"
Last year, as in 2008, NGT Racing won the 24 Hours of Zolder. Some habits are definitely worth adopting...
