Verstappen vs Princen for the Wallonia Master

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In the Rally of Wallonia it promises to be a fierce battle again in the BRC Master Cup. For two days, on a course of 192 km against the clock, divided over 20 special stages, the best 50+ pilots in the country will compete for points. The favorite is Jos Verstappen, winner twice this year, both in the Rally of Haspengouw and the Rallye des Ardennes. However, he is being closely followed by Fred Miclotte, who won the round in Tielt, but who also admitted that he may lack confidence in the fast tests around Namur to follow Verstappen’s pace.

Rally van Haspengouw, 2024 Kroon Oil Belgian Rally Chamoionship. Shot by Sam Tickell for www.racerviews.com

Roger Hodenius, fourth in the standings, had also registered, but a serious crash on the very last stage of a rally on unpaved ground in Wales put an end to the plans to start in Namur. The Skoda has been badly damaged and the driver’s confidence could also use some time. Jimmy D’hondt, two-time Master champion, also wants to reduce his deficit. Etienne Monfort hopes to be able to enjoy his home race longer this year at the wheel of a Skoda Fabia RS, after having to retire early last year.

Rally van Haspengouw, 2024 Kroon Oil Belgian Rally Chamoionship. Shot by Sam Tickell for www.racerviews.com

However, the Rally2 toppers will face serious opposition, because Kris Princen also appears at the start with his impressive Porsche 991 GT3, a car with which Cédric Cherain clocked impressive times two years ago. On a dry course, Princen could well be among the faster Rally2s. Laurent Léonard, Olivier Collard and Henri Schmelcher are the other Masters behind the wheel of Porsches.
In the Stellantisc Cup, the honor of the experienced drivers is defended by Steven Spittaels, while Johan Van Den Dries opts for a Renault Clio Rally4 this time. And then there are the fast Masters in Historic, such as Dirk Deveux and Emile Tollet. In short, a very varied starting field for this second round of the BRC Master Cup.