Porsche Cup Spa-Francorchamps 19/05/2002

Double podium for Sumpter at Spa

Two podium finishes was the outcome of an excellent weekend's work for Mark Sumpter at Spa-Francorchamps in the fourth round of the Michelin Porsche Cup. 

The Paragon/Ultrafilter International-backed Porsche GT3 Cup was right on the pace all weekend, and Mark drove faultlessly on the most demanding circuit on the calendar. A second and a third place put him into a clear second place in the championship tables.

Mark spent the pre-race test session re-learning the most challenging race circuit in the world. “That was great fun, I love it here,” said Mark after the Friday afternoon test session.“I’m just trying to sort out which gears to use. Eau Rouge is probably faster in fifth but you haven’t got so much control if it gets sideways,” said Mark of the dauntingly fast high-speed first corner. 

Qualifying was split over two sessions, the first run in hot and sunny weather later on Friday afternoon. On his last lap of the session, Mark jumped up to second fastest, running little more than a tenth of a second slower than Mark Cole. “I thought we should have been faster, but I lost some time through Eau Rouge,” reckoned Mark. “If we can get the car right for that corner, we should be quicker. I’m having to drop down to fourth gear for the corner, when it was okay in fifth in testing. 

The car just wasn’t working properly there.”The second session on Saturday would form the grid for the second race, so was equally important. In conditions typical of the Belgian circuit, Friday’s hot sunshine had given way to cool and overcast weather on Saturday. Then, as the Porsche Cup cars prepared for qualifying gentle rain started, which continued through the session.During an early halt after another car spun off, Mark took the opportunity to make some changes to the car. “We changed to wet tyres and made some changes to the anti-roll bars as well,” he explained. 

Once back on track, Mark hit traffic and then had two laps ruined by yellow flags.As the session developed, Mark knew that time was running out. “I hadn’t got a lap in and I knew it was my last lap,” he said. Fortunately it was a good lap and placed him third on the grid. “Phil Hindley did the brave thing and stayed on slicks, and it worked,” said Mark of the pole position setter.

It was still wet for the opening race later on Saturday afternoon, but the rain stopped just as the cars set out on the parade lap ahead of the rolling start. The opening mile of the race was amazing as Sumpter and Cole ran side by side through Eau Rouge and out onto the Kemel Straight. Finally Cole was just able to edge ahead, after Sumpter lost momentum a little at the top of the hill after Eau Rouge. “Over the top of the crest I had to go over the kerb and couldn’t get the power in,” explained Mark.Around that opening lap Cole pushed to the limit and Sumpter hung back a few yards expecting his rival to spin. 

Somehow he didn’t, and that gave Cole a small but crucial advantage. “His car wasn’t good in the early laps, so I held back a bit,” said Mark.With the gap at around five seconds, that was pretty much how it stayed until the race was halted three laps early after a car spun into a gravel trap. 

However, with the track drying steadily, those last three laps could have given Sumpter a shot at victory. “As it dried out I think he would have struggled,” said Mark after standing on the second step of the podium.

It was dry and bright for the second race on Sunday, and it was Cole and Hindley who went clear at the head of the pack. Mark was in the centre of the best battle of the race, running neck and neck with friend and rival Slater for much of the 40-minute race. At times, Nigel Rice got into the action as well to make it a three-way battle. 

“Adrian was better on the brakes than me, but we were running at a very similar pace,” he said. At one point, than ran side-by-side through five corners! Having traded third place several times, Mark finally got ahead at Pouhon and pulled a few yards clear. With Slater falling back into the clutches of Rice, Mark was able to make certain of third and another valuable haul of championship points. 

However, Mark knows that he needs to regain winning form and will be going all out for the next races at Silverstone on June 2/3.  

1 Mark Cole 122

2 Mark Sumpter 105

3 Nigel Rice and Phil Hindley 96

5 Adrian Slater 80

6 Peter Chambers 72