Zandvoort Showdown: Ten Voorde on Pole, Title in Sight
The penultimate round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Zandvoort saw reigning champion Larry ten Voorde secure pole position, putting him one step closer to a record-breaking third title. A challenging qualifying session, marked by rain and red flags, saw the Dutchman from Schumacher CLRT team emerge victorious, setting the fastest lap just before the end.
Ten Voorde's rival, Harry King of BWT Lechner Racing, only managed ninth fastest, placing him in a difficult position to challenge the reigning champion. For King, finishing ahead of ten Voorde would delay the title decision until the season finale in Monza next weekend.
Ten Voorde, visibly emotional after the session, expressed his gratitude for the support from the Zandvoort crowd. "I'm at a loss for words," he said, "the qualifying was so intense and the way the fans cheered me on afterwards was amazing. I really enjoyed the final practice session in these difficult conditions. We had to improvise a lot, but my team made the right calls and sent me out with fresh tyres at the perfect moment."
Joining ten Voorde on the front row will be fellow Dutchman Huub van Eijndhoven of Uniserver by Team GP Elite, who secured second place. Jaap van Lagen, another Dutch driver, completed the top three for Dinamic Motorsport.
"That was seriously nerve-wracking," said van Eijndhoven, "I knew I only had one attempt and it had to be flawless." Van Lagen added, "These are typical Zandvoort conditions. We Dutch drivers played to our home advantage today."
Further solidifying the dominance of the Dutch drivers, guest driver Wouter Boerekamps secured sixth place for Team GP Elite. A total of ten Dutch drivers will compete in the round on the North Sea coast, showcasing the strength and passion for motorsport in the Netherlands.
The race could see ten Voorde secure his third Supercup title with a repeat of the qualifying result. The 27-year-old currently holds a seven-point advantage over King. Even a second-place finish would suffice for ten Voorde to clinch the championship if King finishes outside of the top 14. Conversely, if ten Voorde wins, King would need at least an eighth-place finish to keep the championship battle alive in Monza.
Marvin Klein, ten Voorde's teammate and 12 points behind him in the standings, also has a theoretical chance at the title. He qualified fourth on the grid but realistically needs a second win of the season to maintain his championship hopes.
The Rookie classification sees a closer battle between Kas Haverkort of Uniserver by Team GP Elite and Robert de Haan of BWT Lechner Racing. Haverkort, the current leader, qualified fifth with de Haan starting just two positions behind him. Ten points separate the two Dutch drivers, meaning the Rookie title could also be decided in Monza.
In the team standings, Schumacher CLRT, with drivers ten Voorde, Klein and Porsche Junior Alessandro Ghiretti, have a commanding lead of 48 points over BWT Lechner Racing. The Austrian team consists of King, de Haan and German Theo Oeverhaus.
The Zandvoort round marks the start of the home straight for the 2024 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season. The 29-car grid, featuring a strong Dutch contingent, will be looking to make their mark on the iconic circuit. With the championship lead up for grabs, expect a thrilling and unpredictable race.
