Photo: Jacques Letihon Photographe

Vincent Radermecker wins in Zandvoort as Michelisz and Richard collide

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Vincent Radermecker claimed his first win in the TCR Benelux series in the second race at Zandvoort for Milo Racing, capitalising on a late race collision between race leader Norbert Michelisz in the Boutsen Ginion Honda and the Delahaye Volkswagen of Amaury Richard.

Race 2 followed Race 1 with a short leading car intervention, with Michelisz leading from pole position ahead of Richard’s Volkswagen, while Radermecker’s Volkswagen dropped behind the other Boutsen Ginion Honda of Benjamin Lessennes.

Unlike in the first race, Michelisz was unable to pull away from the field, with the chasing pack of Richard, Lessennes and Radermecker staying right with him. Further back, the other Boutsen Ginion Honda of Tiago Monteiro was carving his way through the order after his Race 1 issue had been resolved, and was up to sixth by lap five, passing Romain de Leval’s Volkswagen Golf.

Michelisz was fighting off challenge after challenge from Richard’s Volkswagen, which eventually came to a head on lap seven, as the two made contact heading into Turn 10, with Richard’s Volkswagen spinning off into the gravel while Michelisz managed to keep the car on track with a controlled slide, falling to third behind Lessennes and Radermecker.

The safety car was deployed as Richard’s Volkswagen was recovered, leaving just one racing lap left in the 20-minute race. The race restarted on lap ten, with Radermecker losing no time in diving down the inside of Lessennes’ Honda into Tarzan to snatch the lead and take the victory.

Lessennes finished second ahead of Michelisz, while Ronnie Latinne finished fourth in the Team WRT Volkswagen, fighting off a late charge from Monteiro. Monteiro’s fight for fifth caused him to lose sight of de Leval’s Volkswagen behind, and the Belgian grabbed the spot back from him at the line by just two-thousandths of a second.

Michelisz’s points haul for co-driver Stéphane Lémeret means the Belgian heads to tomorrow’s races on 190 points with a comfortable points margin in the championship. Races 3 and 4 take place at 16:25 CET on Sunday, with Ferry Monster Autosport’s Loris Hezemans starting Race 3 from pole position in the SEAT León TCR.