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Belgian Racing's Maserati 4.2-litre V8-powered Gillet Vertigo finished 20th overall and importantly collected the outright honours in the G2 class last weekend in the seventh round of the FIA GT Championship, after a strong race at the Czech Republic race track. The Belgian-built Gillet Vertigo has swapped its traditional Alfa Romeo V6 powerplants for this season, for Maserati V8 engines, retuned for the G2 regulations, with the new units reportedly offering improved levels of torque.

With temperatures hovering at 11°C it was chilly but dry in Brno for the race last Sunday. After the rolling start several GT1 cars collided going into the first turn. Bas Leinders, taking the start in the #101 Vertigo, steered its way past the ensuring debris and picked up a couple of places in the opening laps holding on to a place just inside of the top 20.

The Gillet Vertigo, very at ease at the Brno track since the start of the weekend, allowed Bas Leinders to put in consistent and fast lap times. Thanks to a strong pace and superb driving of the 33 old Belgian driver, the Gillet Vertigo was able to hold off a couple of Porsches and the AF Corse Ferrari F430 GT of reigning champion Thomas Biagi. After an exciting scrap with the Italian which lasted a couple of laps, Leinders had to let Biagi go but kept the Ferrari F430 GT more than honest in the first part of the race.

As the race continued Bas Leinders moved up the order as most of the competitors in front went to the pit for fuel and a driver change. The Gillet Vertigo, renowned for its low consumption and big fuel tank, climbed up to 14th place and after 55 minutes into the race, and very close to the halfway mark in the race, the Vertigo came into the pits. During the regular stop Bas Leinders handed over the wheel to Renaud Kuppens. With a full fuel tank and a fresh set of Pirelli tyres Kuppens rejoined in 22nd place.

Renaud Kuppens picked up immediately to a similar pace to the opening pace of Leinders and as the second part of the race progressed Kuppens moved up in the standings to place in eighteenth. After a long stint of almost 60 minutes Renaud reappeared in the pitlane with just 6 minutes remaining. Leinders took over again after a splash-and-dash to do a final sprint to the finish line. Kuppens and Leinders took the chequered flag in 20th place, leading once again the G2 category.

Bas Leinders: “We didn’t have any problems with the car today. This hasn’t been our best result, but it’s been our best performance of the year. We weren’t far away from the GT2 cars and managed to have some fights at the beginning of the race which was quite good. The start went wrong and there was no formation at all, but since we’re at the back, it’s hard to be in formation back there, but I think it should be regulated more. But the rest went quite well.”

Renaud Kuppens: “Not the best overall race, but the best weekend. It’s been very nice. The new suspension set up is good for the car. We have a good balance. It’s been a pleasure driving with Bas since 2004.”