The second part of the Porsche Rally Trophy Benelux season is finally about to begin. With theEast Belgian Rally and the Spa Rally on the calendar for this second part of the season, the 911 GT3 Cup with Rally GT Kit will once again be firmly in the spotlight! This Saturday, the battleresumes in Sankt-Vith, with no fewer than eight teams taking to the start…
“Two months have passed since the last round of the Porsche Rally Trophy Benelux,” explains Yves Matton, the Series Manager. “The Porsche Motorsport One-Make Series for rallying was scheduled to compete in the Saarland-Pfalz Rallye in mid-August, but that event was postponed due to the high risk of forest fires during the summer. As a result, the calendar for the second part of the season had to be adjusted, with the Spa Rally becoming a double-header finale. First, the competitors will head to the Sankt-Vith region this Saturday for the penultimate round, the East Belgian Rally, which promises to be particularly interesting and important in the title battle…”
The East Belgian Rally will be held over a single day, with three passes over the particularly natural stages of Büllingen, Bütgenbach, Sankt-Vith and Burg-Reuland, totalling 138 kilometres against the clock. One particular feature is that double points will be awarded! The usual points system will be doubled, adding extra tension and providing the opportunity for a significant points haul. Mathematically, the 2026 title could already be decided this Saturday. However, with the Spa Rally as a two-round finale, it is likely that we will have to wait until the end of November before the honours are decided!
“In fact, only one competitor can clinch the title in Sankt-Vith,” analyses Lionel Hansen, who is closely involved in assembling the Porsche Rally Trophy Benelux starting fields. “That is Romain Delhez. He not only has to win, but also hope for a difficult day for his main rivals Loïc Pirot andJohn Wartique. In total, eight 911 GT3 Cup with Rally GT Kit will take the start, which is a greatsuccess. We can also look forward to the presence of three competitors in the ‘Masters’ category: home driver Rainer Hermann and Dutch-speaking drivers Johan Dekens and Frank Jorissen.”
A strong field!
The pace will therefore be particularly high this Saturday, with an exciting battle within the battle. Romain Delhez, currently leading the standings, knows the area particularly well, but having already used all his jokers, he will have to avoid every mistake during this penultimate event of the season. Especially if he does not want to wait until the final in Spa to claim the crown!
Loïc Pirot has made continuous progress since the start of the season and is full of confidence, especially after recently winning the Rallye de la Semois at regional level. He already competed in the East Belgian Rally with the Porsche last year and will be looking to confirm his rise through the ranks!
Since joining the Porsche Rally Trophy Benelux in Ypres, John Wartique has produced a series of strong results, including two victories. In the standings, he has once again closed the gap to Delhez and Pirot. This time, he will start with a car prepared in the workshops of Gilbert Compétition.
Frenchman Thomas Anacleto, who already competed in Belgium earlier this season during the Rallye de Wallonie, will make his return to the PRTB! With his partner Marie Stirling as co-driver, he is determined to get involved in the battle and become a real spoiler in the duel between the Belgian drivers. This promises to be interesting…
Limburg-based Johan Dekens is best known as a preparer and has a particular fondness for the East Belgian Rally. This time, he will take to the start himself as a driver, without putting any pressure on himself. His goal: to enjoy himself to the fullest behind the wheel of a car he knows inside out, havingalready built and prepared several 911 GT3 Cup with Rally GT Kit himself.
Frank Jorissen recently purchased a car previously driven by Dani Sordo and Glenn Janssens and wants to continue getting acquainted with his new machine. The Limburg-based driver has excellent ties with the organisers of the East Belgian Rally, including the TAC Rally team led by Boudewijn Bartsoen, and was therefore determined to be on the starting grid.
Pieter-Jan Michiel Cracco will also be there this Saturday, behind the wheel of a Porsche that will be impossible to overlook. He will be looking to make the most of his experience with the German GT.
Last but not least, Rainer Hermann has the pleasure and advantage of competing in front of his home crowd. The German-speaking driver has won the East Belgian Rally several times in recent years as part of the Historic BRC and now wanted to experience the challenge of driving a modern car. Withthe 911 GT3 Cup with Rally GT Kit, it will certainly be quite a change!
“With eight teams at the start of the East Belgian Rally, we can welcome four different structures,” says a satisfied Rudi Penders, who manages the Porsche Rally Trophy Benelux through Prospeed. “Patrick Emontspool’s structure is almost certain to claim the Teams’ title under the EMO Sport 2 banner and will this time field the cars of Pirot and Hermann under the EMO Sport 1 name, with the ambition of achieving a one-two in the championship. RD Racing, run by RSR, will take care of Romain Delhez’s car, Gilbert Compétition will prepare the cars of Thomas Anacleto and John Wartique, while Dekens Motorsport has three cars under its tent: those of team principal Johan Dekens and the cars of Frank Jorissen and PJM Cracco.”
As a reminder, a 911 GT3 Cup with Rally GT Kit won last year’s East Belgian Rally in Sankt-Vith, with Cédric Cherain behind the wheel. Proof that the stages of the East Belgian Rally can suit theGerman GT particularly well…
Championship standings before the East Belgian Rally:
• Drivers: 1. Romain DELHEZ 111 – 2. Loïc PIROT 103 – 3. John WARTIQUE 100 – 4. Tom RENSONNET 42 – 5. Dylan HENRARD 31 – 6. Glenn JANSSENS 30 – 7. Sébastien INCARDONNA 29 – 8. John DE WILDE 14 – 9. Wim MEULDERS 10 – 10 ex. Thomas ANACLETO & Quentin GILBERT 5 – 12. Mélissa DEBACKERE 1.
• Teams: 1. EMO Sport 2 176 – 2. RD Racing 93 – 3. DEKENS MOTORSPORT 1 64 – 4. EMO SPORT 1 55 – 5. DEKENS MOTORSPORT 2 12.
