Photo: Jacques Letihon Photographe

Stéphane Lémeret regrets mistake in Race 2, but delighted with Race 1 win

Boutsen Ginion Honda driver Stéphane Lémeret put on a strong display in Race 1 to win the first race of the day at Zandvoort, after a difficult start to the year, but is frustrated with himself after messing up the start for Race 2.

The reigning champion had finished second in the qualifying long race at Spa-Francorchamps last month, but the #1 car picked up no points on Sunday after an incident with the DG Peugeot of Kevin Abbring in the first race.

Lémeret then scored nothing on Saturday, now joined by Aurélien Panis this weekend, with an electrical issue preventing the car from making the start.

A quick lap later in the long race put him on pole for the first sprint race, which he was able to convert to victory, holding off Delahaye Volkswagen driver Giacomo Altoè for 11 laps.

“I didn’t have a very good start, but I was able to be first at the end of the first corner,” said Lémeret to TouringCarTimes. “I knew Altoè was a fair driver, so I was just focussed on my lines and my tyres and everything went right.

Lémeret made an error at the start of the second race and dropped down the order, eventually retiring with brake disc problems, suspected as a result from contact with one of the Audis.

“I made a stupid mistake at the start of Race 2 – I didn’t know the start procedure was so fast, so I was in neutral when the race started. I was fourth I think at the end of the first corner, then one of the Dutch Audis pushed me out in a really unfair manoeuvre – which ****** my race as my car was not straight after this and then the brake disc broke which I think was as a result.”

Lémeret will miss the next round of the TCR Benelux series in two weeks’ time as he will taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans’ mandatory test day in a Proton Competition Porsche 911.