Victory for Dylan Derdaele, Paul Meijer and Nicolas Saelens
Next up: the 48th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder!
Spa-Francorchamps, July 6, 2026. The third round of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux delivered a spectacular four-hour race under brilliant summer sunshine at what many still consider the most beautiful circuit in the world. After an intense battle, victory went for the third consecutive time to the #99 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – of Belgium Racing Team, driven by Dylan Derdaele, Paul Meijer and Nicolas Saelens. The next round of the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux will immediately be the highlight of the season: the 24 Hours of Zolder, where Porsche will be chasing its 22nd overall victory.
For the first time in 25 years, the competitors and teams of the Belcar Endurance Championship, of which the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux is a part, once again contested a race of four hours or more than 500 kilometres at Spa-Francorchamps. The revival proved to be a resounding success. Not only did a field of sixty cars take the start, but Porsche also claimed its third consecutive victory in the national endurance championship.
After Dutch ace Paul Meijer had already secured pole position for the #99 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – of Belgium Racing Team during Friday’s qualifying, the various Porsche teams battled for four hours in pursuit of victory at Spa-Francorchamps.
During the opening stages, young Kaï Rillaerts took the lead at the wheel of the #98 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – of Belgium Racing Team, but after an intense fight, victory ultimately went to the team's orange car, driven by Dylan Derdaele, Paul Meijer and Nicolas Saelens. The yellow car of the successful Limburg-based squad, shared by Rillaerts, Brent Verheyen and Michael Cool, eventually finished just twelve seconds short of claiming the win.
"It certainly wasn't an easy victory," said Dylan Derdaele. "But the entire team gave absolutely everything, and with this third win we have taken an excellent step forward in the championship standings, especially with the upcoming 24 Hours of Zolder in mind."
Behind the two Belgium Racing Team entries, the trio of Gepts-De Cock-De Schepper (NGT Racing) secured a well-deserved third place. "After a difficult start to the season," said Benjamin De Cock, "this result feels especially rewarding."
Rounding out the top five were the #747 Belgium Racing Porsche of Heyer-Bertels-Vanmeert and the #18 Speedlover Porsche of Van Dobben de Bruyn-Terclavers. Sixth place in the Porsche Endurance Trophy Benelux classification went to the leading Porsche Cayman GT4 RS CS, entered by VR Racing by NGT and driven by Glenn van Parijs, Dirk van Rompuy and Mauro Polderman—a successful combination of experience, emerging talent and a fast driver coach.
Further down the order, the German duo of Jan Nick and Markus Lungstrass (Stegmann Motorsport) finished seventh in their Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 –, ahead of the Q1 Trackracing Porsche Cayman GT4 RS CS of Rajko Pagen and Bram Hendrix.
In eighth place, delayed by technical issues, finished the ART Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Type 992 – of Christoff Corten, Maya Weug and Lorenzo Donniacuo. The latter, an absolute rookie in a Porsche, impressed friend and foe alike on Friday by claiming a remarkable second place in qualifying, just 0.23 seconds behind the pole position time set by Dutch specialist Paul Meijer.
The next appointment is set for August 29–30 for the 48th edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder!
