Van de Poele more motivated than ever

If the star of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is Danish and is called Tom Kristensen, the star of the 24 Hours of Spa is indeed Belgian, and we call him “Tintin”. Always wearing his legendary cowboy hat, Eric Van de Poele has climbed to the top of the podium in the Spa double clock tower five times. The native of Verviers, if he competed in five Grands Prix of Formula 1 in 1991 and 1992, built his reputation in other disciplines. Champion DTM in 1987, winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1995, the Belgian won the LMP category in 1998 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans before finishing 3rd in 2001 with Bentley and finishing third in LMGT2 in 2009 with a Ferrari Krohn Racing F430.

As a Belgian and five-time winner, the 24 Hours of Spa hold a special place in Eric Van de Poele's heart.

“All the events are different, but the 24 Hours of Spa is above all Francorchamps, affirms the ex-Bentley driver on the site of the event. It is a demanding circuit, physically very hard, because you can go from rainy conditions to intense heat, which tends to overheat the passenger compartments. We are in Belgium, so we know that the weather will be different from that of San Diego. It is also a great race, with a history, a tradition. Even if we record sequences of around ten years, the cars evolve according to the regulations. Look at what is happening during this 62nd edition: the GT2 and GT3 are the new queens of the party, and the debates are relaunched. Never has the race been so indecisive, which makes the whole thing very exciting for a driver? »

This year, he is competing in the classic aboard a Ferrari F430 GT2 AF Corse, an Italian team supported by the factory, which has already won in its category on the slide in the Belgian Ardennes. He will have two home drivers as his team, the Finn Toni Vilander and the Transalpine Gianmaria Bruni, as well as his compatriot Bert Longin. A top-notch crew. A high-level association essential to triumph.

“The challenge is indeed to find the best compromise, and I attach a lot of importance to it, He continues. Not only do you need to be able to collaborate with a good, professional and recognized team, but you also need to have a good car according to the regulations, and teammates capable of making the crew homogeneous. And if I was lucky enough to win the 24 Hours five times, don?t forget that I took part in this race very often, and that I was integrated into official teams which allowed me to compete for such results. However, this did not work out for me every year, since I also had to settle for places of honor, not to mention a few withdrawals. Do we really have to strive for perfect alchemy? There may only be one cutting-edge Ferrari F430 GT2, but since I only drive one car at a time, it doesn't matter. Having driven this car at Le Mans, Petit Le Mans or Sebring, I can tell you that it is the best possible package. If we except our mishap at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, where we were victims of a problem with a 10-cent coin, I can assure you that the F430 GT2, which is at the end of development, is the best tool that one could imagine to participate in the 24 Hours of Spa. The AF Corse team benefits from the support of the factory, Bruni and Vilander know the car by heart, and I am joined by loyal partners. So yes, I am confident as I approach this 62nd edition, even if I know that the competition will be tough. You know, BMW and Schnitzer are not present to play a place of honor? In any case, we are heading towards an exciting edition of the Total 24 Hours of Spa, with a judicious mix between GT2, GT3, GT4 and GT Nationales. Personally, I think that the future of the 24 Hours lies in GT3, but whatever happens, the mix this year promises us a lot of fun? »

The stage is set, Eric Van de Poele is not satisfied. He will present himself at the start on Saturday, with the firm intention of triumphing a sixth time.

Find the presentation of the 24 Hours of Spa with practical information in your AUTOhebdo magazine.