Double premiere for Longin GT,F1, formule 1

Double premiere for Longin

Miroslav Sanytrák | 18.4.10 | Aktuálně

Leuven, 7 April 2010. For Leuven-based Bert Longin the long winter is finally behind him and two premieres are presently on the agenda of the successful GT-racer. This coming weekend Longin will be on hand for the opening race of the new Belcar championship at the wheel of the WRT Audi R8 LMS, which he will be sharing with team-mate François Verbist. Exactly one week later the number three in last year’s FIA GT championship will then be at the start of the maiden race of the FIA GT1 World Championship. Together with the Italian former FIA GT-champion Matteo Bobbi, Longin at the wheel of his Triple H Team Hegersport Maserati MC12 will also be looking to kick off the season on a high.

Belcar: back to basics with Audi
On home soil Bert Longin will be starting out with an Audi R8 LMS of Vincent Vosse’s new team, WRT. After three seasons of Belgian GT, in which Bert clinched the team title with First Motorsport last season, the legendary ‘Belcar’ name is back. “Indeed, the championship in which Anthony Kumpen and I achieved some brilliant successes, a championship which was also widely known and appreciated by the general public”, is how Bert Longin started the conversation. “As in the past longer races are back on the calendar, something definitely to my liking. But not everything has changed, the GT3s remain the strong cars which is why this season I opted for Audi, because the R8 LMS is a brilliant car, also for the longer races, just look at the races on the Nürburgring and Audi’s third place in the 24 Hours of Spa. I’ve joined a top team with a top car and that calls for a top team-mate. I’m therefore delighted that I can carry on with François Verbist, because last season our collaboration brought its rewards and we intend to carry on in this same manner this season.”

FIA GT1 World Championship: racing at the highest level
The brand new FIA GT1 World Championship adds an extra dimension to Bert Longin’s career. Bert Longin: “This new GT1 World Championship ranks very high up on the motorsport ladder. It goes without saying that F1 is sacrosanct, but when it comes to the World Rally Championship or the World Touring Car Championship we’re in no way the underdog. When you take a look at the entrants list of this FIA GT1 World Championship you’ll notice various former F1 drivers, former champions of LMS, FIA-GT, GT3, former Le Mans winners and a whole string of other top drivers. Promoter Stéphane Ratel fully succeeded in his plan and it is now up to us to produce a great spectacle on the track. The level of the teams is also extremely high and I truly believe that I have joined one of the real top teams. If you take a close look at Maserati’s list of honours in the FIA GT, with various international titles and three victories in the 24 Hours of Spa amongst their achievements, then you know that you’re working at top level. This impression was further strengthened during our initial meeting and the various test runs.”

Strong ambitions on home ground and on the international front
Bert Longin has now been active in the motorsport field for more than 15 years “and I’m really pleased to be working with top teams both on home ground as also internationally. I’m fully at home in a professional environment and can adapt very quickly. My ambitions are in line with those of the teams and both on home ground, as also in the GT1 World Championship I’m out to do battle for the title. To state today that in both championships I will be fighting it out up front is neither a coincidence nor a flash in the pan. For years I have surrounded myself with good collaborators and brilliant partners and this work is now bearing its fruits. In addition I always try to build up a long-term relationship with people, whereby I follow my inner feelings. The key words are trust and respect. People need this in order to give themselves 110%.”

Calendars 2010
Belcar:
9-11 April: Zolder Kick Off (180 mins)
3-5 June: Spa-Francorchamps 12 Hours of Spa (125 mins)
8-10 July: Spa-Francorchamps 25 Hours VW Fun Cup (180 mins)
17-19 September: Spa-Francorchamps Francorchampagne (240 mins)
8-10 October: Zolder FIA GT Championship (125 mins)
13 November: Zolder 10 Hours of Zolder (600 mins)

FIA GT1 World Championship:
17 April: Yas Marina, United Arab Emirates
2 May: Silverstone, Great Britain
23 May: Brno, Czech Republic
4 July: Paul Ricard HTTT, France
1 August: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
29 August: Nürburgring, Germany
19 September: Algarve, Portugal
7 November: Durban, South Africa (Provisional)
28 November: Interlagos, Brazil
5 December: San Luis, Argentina