Top 10 Events 2013

1, 2 & 3 Spa 24Hours, RofGo Collection, Pistenclub Trackday, Modena Trackday @ Francorchamps
8 days of pure car-madness @ Francorchamps

When we arrived at Francorchamps on wednesday, we saw the parade from Spa to Francorchamps on the public roads. After checking in to our 5 star-campsite at the Racing Hotel and the best pizza of the year (and the award goes to ... "Aqua Rossa" in Francorchamps.), we were ready to take on the whole 24Hours-weekend.

On thursday, we saw the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe-cup and the training sessions for the 24hours. On Friday, same sh*t (but now, we were sitting in the Busstop chicane instead of Bruxelles),

there was a GT-parade (with the MG SV-R, Lamborghini Aventador Roadster,...) On Saturday, driver presentation and at 16.00: start of the 24hours! Sunday 16.00: lots of crashed cars later and finish. The HTP Motorsports Mercedes SLS (nr.84) won the race, Champagne!

5 days of racing-madness wasn't enough, no... We had to stay a little bit longer. On monday, there was a Pistenclub-trackday with some serious cars: BAC Mono, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupé 'edition 507 and even a Gumpert Apollo), but the best had yet to come....

 
 






Story of the year: During the 24hours-weekend, the RofGo-collection (a private collection of 20 awesome Gulf-racecars) was displayed on top of the pitbuilding. On monday, each car had to come down with the elevator, so I hoped to get a closer look of the cars. And yes, after a few minutes, the elevator-doors openend and an original Ford GT40 Gulf appeared. The two crewmembers were very friendly and invited me to take all the pics I wanted! Well, thank you very much...

But it felt a bit akward: just two guys, struggling to push the cars uphil to the narrow elevator and the trailer, one of the hottest days of the year... and I was taking some pics. So, I offered them to help push the cars, and they let me! All those legendary racecars, (Ford Mirage M1 and Mirage Gr8 '801', Mirage Gr7, McLaren M8D, the Turbine-powered Howmet, old F1-cars, Porsche 908/03 and a Porsche 917, McLaren F1 GTR Shorttail and Longtail, modern LMP1-cars (Aston Martin LMP1, Audi R8, Porsche Kremer K8) ...   

When we were waiting for the elevator, I could take some incredible combo-pics of the Gulf-cars. The guys of the team told me the whole racing history of each car, they showed me the interior, the engine, every little detail of the cars. It was just awesome.

They even let me sit in the Aston Martin DBR9 and I got a Gulf RofGo team-shirt for free! Thx again guys!

I also made a short video of the collection, link here. This year, a McLaren F1 was auctioned for +7.000.000 euro. Imagine what this F1 and the F1 GTR are worth...

6 days of supercar-madness still wasn't enough. We had to stay just a little bit longer, because on tuesday and wednesday, Modena Trackday was in town. More cars, hell yeah!
I thought nothing could beat the RofGo-collection, but when I entered the pitlane on tuesday, I was pleasantly surprised.

Lanzante brought an original Shelby Cobra Daytona (1 of 6) and two original Ford GT40's, there were 3 F40's, an Enzo, two times brandnew Ferrari F12, Porsche Carrera GT, Aston Martin V12 Zagato (road & racecar), Aston Martin DBR9, Maserati MC12, Alpina 3.0 CSL, Zender Vision 3, Ferrari 512M, Ferrari 312P,  Ferrari 308GT/M, Ferrari F1-cars, Ferrari 575GTC, Ferrari 500TR, Ferrari 512BB LM, Maserati Touring Bellagio, Mercedes Isdera Imperator,  and more...

 On wednesday there was a Concours d'élégance with Jackie Ickx, and I was sitting on the first row. The Shelby Cobra Daytona won 'Best other marque', The white Ferrari 250 GT SWB won 'Best '60 race car', the Ferrari 312PB won the 'Best '70 race car'-award. Check out my blog for the other award winners and more pics.

What better to end a week of carfun at Francorchamps then a day of karting-fun: the outdoor-track is fast, tricky (Ask the Dutch guy who broke his arm during the race) and awesome.

What a week! Thx again to the RofGo-guys, my travel mates Jahrome and Team Subi/1M! 
4 Zoute Grand Prix + Concours d'élégance

We started our Zoute-weekend on friday at the Flying Quarter Mile, (link, link, link and yes... another link). On saturday, we went to the Hippodroom in Ostend, where the cars had to comlete two laps on the oval dirttrack. (Mercedes SSK with Jochen Mass pics & video, more pics: link,  link & link, CisItalia) Then we vistited Topmarques in Knokke, with the brandnew McLaren P1.

On Sunday, we were invited to the Concours d'élégance at the Zoute Golf club. Lots of amazing cars were parked on the green... (The psychedelic Porsche 917k,  Fiat 8V, Bugatti's link, link & link, Aston Martin, Ferrari 225 Inter Vignale, Ferrari 512M Ecurie Francorchamps, Porsche, BMW 3.0l CSL, Lagonda Works car, Maserati Boomerang, and others...) Too bad it was raining cats and dogs that day, but still made some nice shots.... Hope to get invited again next year!

5 Spa Classic
Peugeot 905 in an empty pitlane, Porsche 935's, BMW M1's, 4 Ferrari 512BB LM's, Trofeo Nostro, (a race with classic Ferrari's) Brandnew Jaguar F-Type V8 on the parking, Lancia Stratos, 6 TVR Sagaris, there even was a Bonhams auction in the pitboxes with some nice cars: Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 275,... What a day!

6 Spa Six Hours
Starting your saturday in the paddock of Francorchamps, surrounded by the terrible loud sound of the legendary CanAm-series. Life doesn't get any better than this!
Lots of classic supercars in the paddock (the white Ferrari 288 GTO, Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2,..) lots of oldtimers & exclusive cars on the parking (Morgan 3Wheelers, Ultima GTR Lamborghini Miura S...) Again, can't wait for the next edition of the Spa Six Hours! 

 

7 Ferdinand Porsche, the heritage @ Autoworld Brussels
Great exhibition at Autoworld: some cool Porsche racecars (link & link) and of course some nice classics.(link , link and link)

8 Tac Rally Tielt / Geko Rally Ypres

Lots of ex-Group B's and Slowly Sideways at the start of the Historic Rally in Ypres and in Tielt.

Two stunning Lancia 037's, Ex-McRae Subaru WRC, Mg Metro 6R4, ...

 

9 Lamborghini Club Germany on tour/ Diksmuide

First LP670 SV and first LM002 for me! (More pics)

 

10 Ypres Lotus day / Ferrari Meeting Torhout / lots of  oldtimer-rally’s (with the Mercedes 2.3 16V) , the Esplanade Meetings in Ypres and of course everytime I drive my own car! New exhaust-system or new seats and carbon-goodies this year? Time will tell...