Peter Houben: "I don't like formulaic stories."

Genius Water. That's the name of a Belgian racing team and company. The company has been around for 35 years. At its helm is Peter Houben, owner, founder, and, incidentally, driver. This company manufactures machines that purify drinking water, removing all impurities. They eliminate heavy metals, limescale, chlorine, bacteria, and the now infamous 'PFAS', those persistent pollutants sometimes found in bottled water from certain well-known brands. Peter Houben created these machines, which are sold to both individuals and large water consumers such as restaurants and hotels.

“I’m neither a physicist, nor a chemist, and certainly not an engineer,” he smiles. “Originally, I trained as a computer scientist. For five years, I was a non-commissioned officer in the Belgian army. I was in charge of communications. At the time, I had a second job. I sold this type of water purification machine. But that company wasn’t very honest. I decided to start my own business, manufacturing my water softeners by purchasing several patents. I started from scratch, and today we employ over 60 people.”

Has this gentleman driver been involved in motorsport since a young age?

“Not at all,” he laughs. “My relationship with racing is pretty much the story of my life. You’d think I just don’t like ordinary paths. For a long time, I rode horses at a very high level. I specialized in show jumping. But at 50, I had to stop because of a back problem. I’ve always loved sports cars, but I’d never competed in one before. I started with private testing in the Fun Cup. One day, while I was at Francorchamps, I saw a Lamera in action. Its looks and performance caught my eye. From that moment on, I decided to start a team. We’ve been involved in this championship for eight seasons now. This season, success seems to be on our side, as demonstrated by our 4th place in the overall standings, across all categories. But there’s no question of celebrating too soon.” In the Pro-Am category, we only have a 20-point lead over our main rivals, the drivers of the Lamera 5, meticulously prepared by Hedonic Racing. These drivers are very fast. For me, they are the favorites in the title race.

But if, by chance, the Lamera 53 from Genius Water proves more competitive on Andalusian soil than its rival the 5, the Belgians will return to the Low Countries with the title of champions.

“Which, to some extent, will only half suit us,” admits Peter Houben. “Of course, we’d love to take the crown. However, the regulations stipulate that we move up to the Elite category. Quite honestly, our crew doesn’t have the top speed to compete at the highest level. So, we’ll have to negotiate with the Lamera organizers to stay in Pro-Am, where we thrive.”

Negotiating… That’s one area in which the Flemish businessman seems particularly skilled.