One year is not like another, and the suspense we’ve witnessed in recent editions of the Rally van Haspengouw was absent in this 27th edition. The reason? Jos Verstappen’s absolute dominance from start to finish. The Dutchman has made winning the Belgian title his clear goal for the season, and he’s taken a significant first step in that direction.
Certainly, the competition wasn’t as fierce as in previous years, but there was still hope that a few drivers could challenge Verstappen. Vincent Verschueren, a former contender for victory, was among them. Unfortunately, a faulty fuel pump cut his rally short. Niels Reynvoet was another expected challenger, but the extremely wet conditions at the start made it difficult for him to get a feel for the new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 Step 2. Just when he thought he had found the right setup and was battling for second place against Pieter Tsjoen and Fred Miclotte, he went off the road in the penultimate stage—a tough blow.
Bjorn Syx, known for his impressive performances in a BMW M3 or a Lancer Evo, was another potential rival. However, he had bad luck with his Citroën C3, losing 34 seconds immediately due to a detached spark plug wire and later suffering a puncture. Despite this, he managed to set one fastest stage time and capitalized on his rivals’ misfortunes to finish just off the podium.
Emile Breittmayer was not a name many expected to shine, but he made an impression by setting the fastest time in the opening stage. Though Verstappen overtook him by SS2, his times were still remarkable. Unfortunately, he suffered a violent off in SS3.
Fred Miclotte, a co-driver turned part-time driver, and Pieter Tsjoen, lacking seat time and making his debut in the PTR team’s Toyota Yaris GR, were not considered major threats. But along with Reynvoet, they at least provided some suspense for second place. Each managed to snatch one of the rare (five) stage wins that Verstappen didn’t claim. Tsjoen seemed to have secured second place after dominating SS10 by over nine seconds, but poor visibility in the dark allowed Fred Miclotte to snatch second place in the final push.
Tom Rensonnet drove a smart race under tough conditions, finishing fifth in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, a car he was still discovering. He deserves credit for making no mistakes.
Jonas Langenakens, also making his Rally2 debut in a Skoda Fabia, was keeping pace with Rensonnet and ahead of Syx before clutch problems slowed him down.
Behind the Rally2 pack, Cédric Cherain and Patrick Snijers engaged in a thrilling duel in their roaring Porsche GT3s. Cherain had the early advantage, but Snijers clawed his way back to take the lead two-thirds into the rally. However, Cherain launched a final sprint in the last stage to reclaim seventh place.
The top 10 was rounded out by Jimmy D’Hondt, who delivered a consistent performance, and young Thomas Martens, who posted impressive times in his Clio RC3, including a remarkable sixth-fastest time in the final stage.
In the Junior BRC, Lander Depotter dominated the category, while his closest competitor, Leny Cols, in a Clio RC5, had no real opposition in the BRC Trophy. Young Thyrsa Eertmans finished third behind Christiaan Spelmans. In Youngtimers and Historic BRC, Dirk Deveux and Michael America faced little competition, while the MATS Performance M-Cup saw a fierce battle between Kurt Braeckevelt, Franky Boulat, and Tobi Vandenberghe. In the end, Boulat clinched the win, finishing 14th overall behind Depotter.
Read the original article on Belgian Rally Championship website.