Photo: Jacques Letihon Photographe

Benjamin Lessennes takes points lead with Zolder Sprint 3 win

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Boutsen Ginion Honda driver Benjamin Lessennes has assumed the lead of the TCR Benelux series drivers’ championship after winning the third sprint race, more than six seconds clear of Team WRT’s Denis Dupont.

Lessennes lead comfortably into Turn 1 in his Honda Civic ahead of Dupont’s WRT SEAT, while Frédéric Vervisch leapt up to third in the Comtoyou Racing Audi RS 3, despite a wobble at the entry to the corner.

Edouard Mondron was up one position to fourth in the Delahaye Racing SEAT León, while Mathieu Detry had dropped from second to fifth in the WRT Volkswagen Golf, and was soon caught by the Peugeot of Aurélien Comte.

The two drivers were then involved in a race long battle, changing positions five times during the course of the race, with Comte passing Detry three times during the race, twice getting ahead of the Volkswagen at the final corner, but with Detry able to re-take the position on two occasions.

Comte made another lunge, this time into the first corner on the last lap, grabbing fifth position for the final time and keeping it to the finish.

Lessennes was untouchable up front and built a comfortable lead over Dupont’s SEAT, with Vervisch’s Audi keeping a close watch on him in third.

Lessennes win elevates him into the lead of the championship on 210 points, 11 clear of Guillaume Mondron who drops to second, with Tom Coronel 39 points further back.

Sprint Race 4 follows with the grid as per Race 3.