Round 7
Difficult and changing weather conditions on Sunday August 14 in Belgium where the seventh round of the ERC was organised at the “Duivelsberg”. The weather wasn’t that good, but that was no problem for the 11000 fans that came to Maasmechelen to support their favourite pilots. The fans came for action and that was what they got! Jernberg and De Keersmaecker were the winners in their category.
Division 1
Michael Jernberg won the Belgian round of the ERC on Sunday. Jernberg started in pole and stayed in the lead during the whole race. He beated Jean Luc Pailler and reigning European Champion Kenneth Hansen. Hansen had a good start from his difficult fifth grid position and by a smart manoeuvre on the first corners he found a way up to third place. The A-final was difficult as heavy rain had turned the conditions to the worst possible. After the start Kenneth Hansen decided not to challenge for second place too hard as the windscreen quickly was covered by mud.
Per Eklund, who won the B final, finished in fourth position. Lindefjell finished in fifth position. Kuypers was classified in sixth position but he didn’t finished the race due to a broken suspension.
Michael Jernberg gained 5 points of Kenneth's Hansen leading the overall ERC standings. Hansen has now 103 points and Jernberg 102. Next race will be in Holland next weekend.
Final result Division 1
1 Jernberg Michael S Ford Focus 20 2 Pailler Jean-Luc F Peugeot 206 17 3 Hansen Kenneth S Citroën Xsara 15 4 Eklund Per S Saab 9-3 T16 13 5 Lindefjell Guttorm N Ford Focus 12 6 Kuypers Jos NL Ford Focus WRC 11 7 Lindqvist K.G. S Volvo S40 10 8 Isachsen Sverre N Ford Focus 9 9 Coox Jochen B ! VW Golf IV 8 10 Radström Thomas S Hyundai Accent 711 Van Woensel B Subaru Impreza 6 12 Terroitin Laurant F Citroën Xsara 5 13 Pauwels Koen B Ford Focus 414 Huybs Jan B Mitsubishi Lancer 3 14 Bermingrud Morten N Citroën Xsara 2 15 Larsson Lars S Skoda Fabia 1
Standings after Round 7
1. Kenneth Hansen 1032. Michael Jernberg 1023. Sverre Isachsen 77
Division 2
Michael De Keersmaecker extends his lead in the ERC in Division 2 by winning his home race. De Keersmaecker, who started in second position, made a super start and took the lead before Castoral, Pinomäki, Nilsson, Hoefnagels and Kotek. It was a very exiting battle behind De Keersmaecker and thanks to that the Belgian could extend each lap his lead. De Keersmaecker won the final in Division 2, it was his third win of the year. Thanks to this victory the Belgian extends his lead in the ERC on Nillson who finished in fifth position and Pinomäki, who finished in third position after Castoral. Kotek finished in fourth position.
Final result Division 2
1 De Keersmaecker Michaël B Honda Civic Type R 20 2 Castoral Roman CZ Opel Astra OPC 17 3 Pinomäki Jussi FIN Renault Clio RSR 15 4 Kotek Tomás CZ Renault Clio Sport 13 5 Nilsson Marcus S Peugeot 206 RC 12 6 Hoefnagels Frans NL Citroën Xsara VTS 11 7 Snoeijers Marcel NL Renault Clio RS 10 8 Slastad T! ommy N Opel Astra OPC 9 9 Výborný Otakar CZ Peugeot 306 S16 8 10 Farsbo Jimmy S Honda Civic Type R 7 11 Paulsen Stian N Opel Astra OPC 6 12 Panhauser Werner A Renault Clio RS 5 13 Thrygg Fanny S Peugeot 306 4 14 Peruth Milan ! ; CZ Peugeot 306 RC 3 15 Tyszkiewicz Piotr PL Opel Astra OPC 2
Standings after Round 7
1. Michaël De Keersmaecker 992. Marcus Nilsson 903. Jussi Pinomäki 85
