Bert Longin (Gravity Racing International) fastest in free practice

The first free practice was right up Gravity Racing International's. street. Following a careful start, with Vincent Radermecker at the wheel Bert Longin then pushed hard near the end of the session. The Leuven based driver, still as pleased as Punch regarding the result in the FIA GT race in Bucharest last weekend, felt as though he was reborn. With a 1:34,791 Longin in the Mosler is one second ahead of the others.

"The first race in Bucharest was scrappy. With pretty non-existent brakes we still managed to finish sixth, and on Sunday we clinched fourth place. For our team this was the perfect reward for all the hard work they had put in. Everything seemed to click for the first time, and you can only achieve this when your team is mentally strong. We've had a difficult first half of the season, both in the Belgian GT and the FIA GT, but our intention is to turn the tide here in Zolder ", Longin told us.

Second fastest lap was clocked by Stéphane Lémeret. The journalist driver, recently second in the Total 24 Hours of Spa, obviouilsy feels at home at the wheel of the Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S of ProSpeed Competition. GPR Pino Racing, the winners of the 2007 edition of the 24 Hours of Zolder, slots in with a third best time. In the wake of the Mosler and the two Porsches we have two Dodge Vipers, of KRK Racing and A+ Racing (#4) respectively..

In Division 2 best lap time is down to Moritz Racing. Moritz-Moritz-Hertzberger brought the green Marcos Mantis up to the seventeenth place overall. It should also be mentioned that the Marcos lost its bonnet on the track. It hit the front bumper of a Dodge Viper; but luckily without any damage.

Markus Palttala is back on track.and proved that the Porsche 996 GT3 RS of MPM Racing by Verbist is in good shape: "I drove a couple of ste-up laps and the car handles well. I did need to put on the pressure to clock a 1:37". If we can hold that sort of rhythm during the race it could turn out to be exciting!", the Flying Finn commented. Palttala registered the sixth time, in the shadow of the best GT3s.

Top five after the first free practice session:
1. #24 Gravity Racing International - Mosler MT900 GT3 1:34,791
2. #52 ProSpeed Competition - Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S +1,130
3. #1 GPR Pino Racing - Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S +1,188
4. #9 KRK Racing - Dodge Viper Competition Coupé +1,277
5. #4 A+ Racing - Dodge Viper Competition Coupé +1,847

Leader in Division 2:
17. #161 Moritz Racing - Marcos Mantis

Leader in Division 3:
6. #265 MPM Racing by Verbist - Porsche 996 RS

VZW 24u.be - Gordon McKay on Wednesday 27 August 2008 at 20:03.