The 27th edition of the Rally Van Haspengouw proved to be one of the most challenging in recent years, as rain turned the rally stages into muddy traps. This year’s event marked the first round of the Kroon-Oil Belgian Rally Championship, setting the stage for intense competition.
Verstappen’s Commanding Performance
Jos Verstappen, the former F1 driver, showcased his skills, dominating the race from start to finish without a single mistake. His control over the event emphasized his ambitions for the championship.
“From the second lap onwards, I drove with a second spare wheel and we didn’t take any more risks when cutting,” Verstappen remarked after his victory. “That’s not the most fun way to drive a rally. I prefer to attack with all my might, with a knife between my teeth. Today, I could only lose to myself, even though the course remained very treacherous. We took the victory in a controlled manner.”
By the end of the first loop, Verstappen had built an impressive lead of 28″9 over Frederic Miclotte and 29″9 over Niels Reynvoet, who was still acclimating to the new Hyundai i20 Rally2.
Early Highlights and Setbacks
The race began with a surprise from Emile Breittmayer, who clocked the first fastest time in his Citroën C3 Rally2, outpacing Verstappen on the opening stage. However, misfortune struck Breittmayer when he went off the track hard, effectively ending his competition.
Niels Reynvoet appeared to be heading for second place but suffered a setback when he also went off the track on the penultimate stage, stirring up the race dynamics. Pieter Tsjoen and Vincent Verschueren also faced issues, with Verschueren retiring early due to a fuel pump defect. Bjorn Syx also faced trouble but took a stage win on SS4
Miclotte’s Rise and Tsjoen’s Challenge
Ultimately, Frederic Miclotte seized the opportunity to clinch second place, marking his first fastest time in the BRC.
“I suffer from night blindness and my vision was very poor on the last stage, especially because of the rain,” Miclotte explained. “Fortunately, I can still offer my daughter Juliette a third place after an intense and beautiful rally,” Tsjoen shared, reflecting on his own challenges during the race.
Cherain vs. Snijers for the GT Crown
In the GT category, reigning Belgian champion Cédric Cherain triumphed in a thrilling duel against his Porsche teammate, Patrick Snijers. Cherain battled for grip amidst the slippery conditions, showing resilience as he overcame a mid-race challenge from Snijers.
“In dry weather there was undoubtedly much more in it, but this was certainly not the weather to go out with a Porsche,” Cherain noted. “I had a slight advantage over Snijers because of our starting position, but we also had to evacuate the water from the puddles as the first on the track.”
Snijers, who finished second, was puzzled by Cherain’s remarkable performance on the final stage and faced disqualification due to a pre-race incident, a ruling he has appealed.
Other Categories
In other competitions, Thomas Martens shone in the Rally3 category, while Lander Depotter took the lead in the Junior BRC ahead of Leny Cols. Dirk Deveux emerged victorious in the Youngtimer BRC, and Michael America claimed the Historic BRC title. Stefaan T’joens dominated in the 2WD Cup, while Franky Boulat triumphed in the MATS Performance M-Cup after a late-stage blunder by Kurt Braeckevelt.
As the dust settles on a gripping Rally van Haspengouw, drivers and teams will look ahead to the next round, eager to tackle the challenges that lie ahead in this competitive championship.
