Without snow Porsche is the favourite

With more than three hundred starters the Legend Boucles de Spa 2011 has reached a new record when it comes to the number of entrants. However it is especially the quality of the field which has satisfied the organisers. “It looks like a World Championship for historic rally cars”, Pierre Delettre smiled, who will not only be welcoming three former world champions this weekend, namely Ari Vatanen, Bjorn Waldegard and Stig Blomqvist, but also four former European rally champions (Yves Loubet, Robert Droogmans, Patrick Snijers and Bruno Thiry), two former F1 drivers (Eric Van de Poele and Patrick Tambay), two Supermoto world champions (Gérald Delepine and Eddy Seel), one former dressage world champion (Félix-Marie Brasseur), one former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner (Romain Dumas), the last winner of the Monte-Carlo in a MINI (Rauno Aaltonen in 1967), WRC driver and brother Petter Solberg (Henning Solberg), Simon Everett together with a host of Belgians, amongst whom Marc Duez, Freddy Loix, François Duval, Bernard Munster, Jean-Pierre Van de Wauwer, Thierry Neuville as also the circuit drivers Guino Kenis, Michael de Keersmaecker, Vincent Radermecker, Maxime Soulet and Steve Vanbellingen.

This makes it very difficult to point out a favourite, especially now that the weather will be cold and dry. This year the snow will not be putting in an appearance. It is possible that in these conditions the various Porsche 911 might well start out as favourites. Patrick Snijers is looking to clinch a ninth success, thirteen years after his initial victory, whilst other Porsche drivers, namely François Duval and Robert Droogmans have never won here and would only be to pleased to do so. However the Mazda RX7 Gr.B of Marc Duez and Henning Solberg as also the horde of Ford Escort Group 4 are also out for victory.

Victory will be more difficult for the splendid Lancia Stratos manned by the Brit Steve Perez and the Corsican Yves Loubet, the Saab 99 of François de Spa as also a few smaller cars amongst which Bruno Thiry (Visa 1000 Pistes), Loix (Skoda 130 RS) and Neuville (Peugeot 104 ZS).

An initial evaluation can be made this evening following the two Regularity Tests in the vicinity of Francorchamps (access via exit 10 or 11 of the E42 travelling from Verviers).

Competing is more important than winning...

The major part of the Legend Boucles de Spa 2011 takes place on Saturday between 09.30hrs and midnight, with on the programme 13 Regularity Tests and 140km to be covered at an average speed of 80 km/h. This will undoubtedly be a wonderful edition and as the secret driver had already commented, “pedal to the metal all the way...”