The fourth race meeting of TCR Benelux took place in Luxembourg at Colmarberg semi-permanent racetrack and saw four different drivers celebrating race wins.
Newcomers to the championship were 2015 International Series champion Stefano Comini – who shared a WRT Volkswagen Golf with Maxime Potty and claimed victories in the Qualifying Race and in the Sprint Race 3 – and the Romeo Ferraris-built Alfa Romeo Gulietta of Fabio Marchiafava and Loris Cencetti.
Race 1 – The early leader Frédéric Caprasse spun after a contact with Edouard Mondron and dropped at the back of the field. On lap 3 Stéphane Lémeret overtook Mondron who went off the track and re-joined at the back. In the first half of the race Lémeret managed to keep at bay Amaury Richard; meanwhile Potty was elbowing his way through the field and on lap 9 replaced Richard as Lémeret’s chaser, but could not find a gap to pass. Lémeret claimed his first Sprint Race victory ahead of Potty, Richard, Caprasse – who completed a great recovery – and Cencetti’s Alfa Romeo.
Race 2 – Lémeret led the race until the 7th lap when he could not resist the pressure of Caprasse and Potty and let them through. The point leader, in troubles with his tyres, lost another position on lap 9 when he Richard moved up to third. Potty overtook Caprasse and enjoyed a brief spell in the lead before committing a mistake and dropping to second again.
Race 3 – Comini claimed a lights-to-flag comfortable victory ahead of Pierre-Yves Corthals who had moved to second overtaking Kris Richard (Lémeret’s co-driver) on the second lap. On lap 3, Vincent Radermecker tried to pass Richard as well, but spun after a contact and slipped at the back.
Race 4 – Corthals took the best start; behind him Comini and Radermecker crashed and their cars stopped in the middle of the track. The safety car is deployed, but after five laps the race is red-flagged for good. Corthals wins from Richard and Alexis van de Poele. Half points were awarded, as the 75% of the race distance was not completed.
In the championship standings, Léméret is still in the lead with a 60-point margin ahead of Caprasse-Corthals, while Potty lies fourth with a gap of 118 points.
The next race meeting will take place at Assen, Netherlands, on October 22 and 23.
