Zolder Eurosport Super Racing Weekends 20/05/2001   Race Report A Classic   The best FIA GT race of the current era? Definitely. Later than usual being posted to the site? I’m afraid so. But in the crazy world of sportscar / GT racing, three major meetings on two continents in one weekend was just too much to keep up with. Especially with this result in doubt and an appeal in the offing, so details were released later than usual. It hasn’t been a good eight days for Lister Storm Racing, although midway through this one, you’d have to be as confident as midway through the last one that their lead pair would go away with maximum points. Mike Hezemans led from lap two..... ....but Jamie Campbell-Walter took the lead from the Dutchman on lap 30, and apart from the need for Tom Coronel to re-pass #3 during the middle stint, everything was on course for a Lister win and a closing of the gap to the Championship leaders – Bouchut and Belloc. Coronel set the fastest lap of the race, but the Larbre Viper, lead Carsport Viper and Duez / Blieninger Rafanelli Ferrari were all close enough, the way things panned out... JC-W was in trouble in part three, the Lister developing an oil pressure problem. He made two extra stops, on laps 90 and 98, but before the first of these, he was actually a lap clear of the whole field. The first unscheduled stop reduced the gap (over Jeroen Bleekemolen) to 40 seconds, but the Viper itself pitted after 93 tours. Why? A stop and go, for starting the engine too soon at their last fuel stop. Bleekemolen lost 20 seconds altogether, which set up a great scrap for third – or second. That stop let the Bouchut Viper into second. The Lister’s last stop just before the 100 lap mark – with a minute in hand now over #7 – dropped JC-W to six seconds back, with four over Duez’ Ferrari and three more on Bleekemolen (J.). They were all coming together for the rush to the flag. An inspired Campbell-Walter – furious after losing the win at Silverstone, determined to take this one - took four seconds off the Larbre Viper on the next lap. Bouchut had dropped into a 1:39, but they were both in the 1:34s on lap 101, far outstripping the pace of anyone else. It would be a 111 lap event, so ten to go.....and Bouchut was into the 1:33s, extending the gap to four seconds. Five to go and it was still more or less four seconds, but a 1:37 for the leader on lap 107 saw it shrink to 1.3. – then 0.9 - then 0.7. Did Christophe Bouchut make a small mistake on the last corner? Did he really? Worn tyres and 100kg would explain that, but whatever the reason, Jamie Campbell-Walter was through before the sprint to the line, and took the win by barely a tenth. Fantastic stuff, but it would all change (for now) once the Lister failed the airbox test. JC-W’s thoughts at that point probably don’t bare repetition. The misfire he'd been grappling with was related to the airbox investigation after the race. The two extra stops were to top up with oil: lubricant had been escaping from a crack in an oil cooler. "Lister are currently appealing the Stewards' decision to disqualify the car," is the statement from Leatherhead. The Bleekemolen / Duez scrap was just as entertaining. Duez led after 104 laps, Bleekemolen by less than a tenth after 105, Duez again on 106 and 107, but the orange car finally took third (second) at the end of the straight on lap 108. Jeroen B. Had all of two and a half seconds in hand at the flag. The rest were two laps down, headed by the surviving, slowest Belmondo Viper (Paul himself and C-Y Gosselin) and the Jarier / Lafon GTS-R, but after the post-race dramas, Cappellari / Matteuzzi took the last point. Naspetti was out early with accident damage (a Porsche apparently shut the door on him, after just 13 laps) in the pole Ferrari 550, the non finishers also including the #10 and #11 Belmondo Vipers, the silver, Belgian #25, the second Lister (stuck in 4th), the Lamborghini and the GL/PK Viper. N-GT was far more straightforward. Pescatori made a slow start, dropping to fifth as Riccitelli led Sugden, and then Babini in third in #54. The EMKA Porsche dropped back with engine troubles, but Babini harried Riccitelli and led on lap 26 (left). Andrea Boldrini completed a short, 26 lap middle stint in #77, handing back to Riccitelli on lap 71, but this wasn’t enough to satisfy the rules, apparently, and the ‘winning’ car was demoted to third. It had originally finished an amazing fifth overall. How did Steve O’Rourke escape punishment for just 17 laps at Silverstone? Babini and Moccia were handed the win, by just 12 seconds from Kaufmann and Ortelli. Wolfgang said last week that there would be (tyre) improvements soon, but they will have to wait until after the ‘mid-summer’ break. This was more about saving fuel. In fact, it would have been surprise win for the Freisinger pair, but for spluttering short of fuel with one lap left. They nearly made it on one stop after a highly fuel effcient run from Ortelli in the second half. A pity that the length of the races allows such economy racing. Flat out must be more fun. The Ferrari 360 run of wins came to an end when Pescatori spun off on lap 19, the same corner later claiming the #69 and #50 Porsches. The series resumes in July, after Le Mans. Bouchut and Belloc have 42 points, 19 ahead of JC-W. Had the Lister retained its Zolder win, it would have been 38 – 33. Perhaps it might after all. Riccitelli has 36 points to lead N-GT, 14 ahead of Terrien and Pescatori. With thanks to Niek Jansen and Harald Gallinnis for the images. Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport