Photo credit: Porsche
The Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup enters the second half of its season this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, joining the support program of the Belgian Grand Prix. Thirty identical Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars will contest the fifth of eight rounds. After four races, the championship battle remains exceptionally close, with just 10.5 points separating the top four drivers.
Dutchman Robert de Haan of BWT Lechner Racing leads the standings, closely followed by France’s Alessandro Ghiretti of Schumacher CLRT, Germany’s Theo Oeverhaus of Proton Huber Competition and France’s Marvin Klein of BWT Lechner. Each of the four has claimed one win so far. In fifth place is Dutch rookie Flynt Schuring (Schumacher CLRT), who has already secured three wins in the rookie class. In the teams’ championship, BWT Lechner Racing holds a slim 4.5-point advantage over Schumacher CLRT.
Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit on the Supercup calendar at 4.35 miles (7.00 km). Its 20 turns and 328-foot (100 m) elevation change challenge both car setup and driver precision. The uphill sequence from Eau Rouge to Raidillon and the high-speed Blanchimont corner are among the most famous sections. Cars can reach top speeds of around 168 mph (270 km/h) on the Kemmel Straight, with average lap speeds near 112 mph (180 km/h). Most overtaking occurs at the Les Combes chicane.
Photo credit: Porsche
“Spa is one of the most demanding tracks we face,” said points leader Robert de Haan. “Aerodynamics and setup play a huge role here. My goal is to qualify near the front and score solid points.” Porsche junior Theo Oeverhaus added that covering a full lap without error is especially difficult at Spa. “Its length and variety of corners require total focus,” he said.
Joining the 28 full-season entrants are two guest drivers, creating a 30-car grid for the Ardennes sprint race. Saturday’s contest runs over 12 laps, a total of 52.26 miles (84.05 km), or approximately 30 minutes plus one lap.
Originally built in 1921 and modified several times since, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps lies about 12 miles (20 km) from the Belgian-German border. Its mix of slow hairpins like La Source, steep uphill sections and long straights has made it a favourite among drivers and fans alike.
“We have seen four different winners in the first four races, which shows how tight the field is,” said Oliver Schwab, project manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. “At Spa, no driver can afford a mistake on this legendary circuit.”