Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Zolder Blancpain Sprint: HTP Mercedes surprises itself with win

Maximilian Buhk and Maximilian Gotz pulled off a surprise Blancpain Sprint Series victory for the HTP Mercedes team at Zolder

The HTP Motorsport duo came from sixth on the grid in the main race to claim a victory by 2.8 seconds on a circuit that didn't favour their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Buhk, who had muscled his way up to sixth in Saturday's qualifying event, jumped to fourth at the start, before a quick turn-around during the mandatory pitstops by the HTP squad got Gotz out just ahead of his pursuers.

Jeroen Bleekemolen, who had taken over the Grasser Lamborghini Gallardo LFII from Hari Proczyk, was unable to mount a challenge and was powerless to prevent the Merc edging away to a clear victory.

Laurens Vanthoor, who won the qualifying event with Cesar Ramos, was likewise unable to do anything about the Lambo and took the chequered flag 1.3s behind in third.

Gotz said: "I saw him right behind me and thought that it was going to be very tough, but I pushed like hell and kept him behind."

Buhk said that he couldn't believe that HTP had taken the victory.

"When I came here on Friday, I wasn't feeling confident and even when I got to fourth at the start I wasn't thinking of a podium."

The result means that Gotz extends his lead at the the head of the BSS, while Buhk does likewise in the standings of the Blancpain GT Series encompassing the BSS and the sister Blancpain Endurance Series.

Stef Dusseldorp and Sergey Afanasiev ended up fourth in the second HTP entry after starting 11th.

Fifth went to the factory-run Beechdean Aston Martin V12 Vantage shared by Andy Soucek and Jonny Adam.

LEADING RESULTS - 35 LAPS:

Pos Driver Team Car Gap
1 M.Gotz, M.Buhk HTP Motorsport Mercedes 1h00m00.027s
2 H.Proczyk, J.Bleekemolen GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini 2.895s
3 C.Ramos, L.Vanthoor Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi 4.251s
4 S.Afanasiev, S.Dusseldorp HTP Motorsport Mercedes 17.084s
5 J.Adam, A.Soucek Beechdean AMR Aston Martin 18.140s
6 F.Onidi, G.Pantano Bhaitech McLaren 18.814s
7 F.Salaquarda, A.Balzan Scuderia Villorba Corse Ferrari 19.178s
8 C.Bueno, S.Jimenez BMW Sports Trophy Team Brasil BMW 20.330s
9 R.Rusinov, T.Enge G-Drive Racing Lamborghini 21.158s
10 S.Richelmi, S.Ortelli Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi 26.424s


Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Zolder BSS: Vanthoor/Ramos win after clash with team-mates
Next article Sean Edwards Test launched to improve safety among amateur drivers

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe