21.07.2004 The Pearle Alfa 147 GTA Challenge reached its halfway point at the weekend AND with a hard fought victory going to Dutchman Phil Bastiaans, the title race remains still wide open

The Pearle Alfa 147 GTA Challenge reached its halfway point at the weekend, and with a hard fought victory going to Dutchman Phil Bastiaans, the title race remains still wide open.

The Pearle Alfa Challenge teams, who all campaign identical-specification Alfa 147 racers, arrived at Zolder after a month's break since the last round, with Sandor van Es leading the title race.

After three races at the famous costal circuit of Zandvoort, which nestles in the sand dunes, it was the Challenge's first visit this year to any another race track.

Qualifying saw a front row repeat of the last round, with Rory Bertram planting his 2.0-litre, GTA-look alike racer on pole position with an unbeaten 1:44.855 lap, and Tim Coronel, posting a 1:44.910 to line up alongside.

The second row was led out by Bastiaans (1:45.051), half a second ahead of van Es (1:45.482), while row three comprised Mike Verschuur (1:45.524) and Oscar Middeldorp (1:45.526).

At Zandvoort the last time out, Bertram and Coronel, who both drive identical-coloured cars for the Tempo Team, had blasted off into the distance, and there was concern that this race would once again feature the same scenario, with both of the Dutch drivers confident of producing a quick race pace.

At the green light there was chaos. Sandor van Es muddled his getaway, starting to move to early, then slowing, and by the time he got the car together again, the whole field had streamed past.

Meanwhile Mike Verschuur, hit the barriers heavily, and, while all this commotion was going on, Phil Bastiaans made his move for the lead.

Bastiaans, at the wheel of the Cable 1 Racing Alfa 147, went on to win, ahead of Tim Coronel and Bernhard ten Brinke, the top three covered at the chequered flag by less than a second.

However, Tim Coronel, who is also the younger brother of experienced Touring Car and Sportscar racer, Tom, lost the 17 points he gained by finishing in second place, when he was disqualified afterwards for a technical infringement, a result that almost certainly ends his title aspirations.

The win now vaults Bastiaans into a slim championship lead. With 72 points, he is just one point clear of van Es, who staged an amazing recovery drive from the back of the field, to cross the line fourth.

It got better for the Dutchman, when he was elevated up to third place after Coronel was disqualified.

The Pearle Alfa Challenge now moves on to the Assen circuit for the next race, the "Rizla+ Racing Days" meeting on 1st August, before the series return to Zandvoort for the final three rounds, the last one coming on 17th October.