Kobe Pauwels (D’Ieteren Luxury Performance) and Jani Käkelä (39 Racing) champions in ‘Rookie’ and ‘PRO-AM’ respectively
Last race winners of the season are vice-champion Paul Meijer (Hans Weijs Motorsport) and Kalle Rovanperä (RedAnt Racing)
Circuit Zolder, October 14, 2024 – The 2024 season of the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux has come to a thrilling conclusion at Circuit Zolder. Dirk Schouten of Q1 Trackracing clinched the overall title, while his team, along with Niels Langeveld, claimed the team championship. The weekend saw victories from Paul Meijer (Hans Weijs Motorsport) and Kalle Rovanperä (RedAnt Racing), marking the end of a remarkable season.
Weekend recap
The action-packed weekend started with Kalle Rovanperä securing the Tag Heuer Pole Position Award for the first race. However, a difficult start saw him lose the lead to Paul Meijer, who dominated the race to take victory. Meijer finished ahead of Sacha Norden (JW Raceservice) and Rovanperä, while Schouten crossed the line in fifth, keeping the championship battle alive.
In the Rookie class, Sam Jongejan (Team RaceArt) emerged victorious, followed by Domas Raudonis (Team GP Elite) and Colin Jamie Böninghausen (Bas Koeten Racing). Kobe Pauwels took a significant step toward the Rookie title with a solid fourth-place finish. In PRO-AM, Jules Grouwels (Team RaceArt) led the field, with Käkelä and Maik Rosenberg (Team GP Elite) rounding out the podium.
Sunday’s second race saw Rovanperä redeem himself, taking the lead from pole-sitter Sacha Norden and securing victory. Paul Meijer and Dirk Schouten completed the podium, with Schouten’s third-place finish securing his championship title. Raudonis claimed another Rookie class win, while Pauwels clinched the Rookie title after a close battle with Jongejan. In PRO-AM, Grouwels took another win, but Käkelä’s consistent performances throughout the season earned him the championship.
Q1 Trackracing’s collective efforts, with Schouten’s third-place finish and Langeveld’s seventh, secured the team title. Team manager Edgard Terium expressed pride in the team’s growth and ambitions for continued success.
The champions speak
Dirk Schouten (Overall - Q1 Trackracing): "It was a long season, where every point proved to be important. The last weekend was really tough; I definitely had trouble sleeping the past few nights, but we stayed focused, the team gave 110%, and this is the unbelievable result. I haven’t fully realized it yet; it will need time to sink in, but I am going to enjoy it already."
Kobe Pauwels (Rookie - D'Ieteren Luxury Performance): "I was only certain of the title in the final phase of the race, because you never know what can happen. The season was very long and intense, and the competition was incredibly strong. I want to thank everyone involved in this season, especially D'Ieteren Luxury Performance and the team."
Jani Käkelä (PRO-AM 39 Racing): "I lost a bit of sleep last night (laughs), and it’s unbelievable that we won this title in our first year. I am incredibly happy and want to thank my team and everyone around me!"
Edgard Terium (Team Manager Q1 Trackracing - Teams): "This is a highlight in the growth process of this team over the past few seasons. After winning titles in AM and PRO-AM with Jan Lauryssen in the Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux, and earlier this week the title in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Benelux with Philippe Wils, these titles for Dirk (Schouten) and the team are the ultimate icing on the cake. We remain ambitious and want to continue growing step by step. A big thanks to everyone involved in this success!"
Edgard Terium also received the very last 'Michelin Star of the Weekend' of the season for the collective performance of the team from Maaseik.
Final standings
Overall: 1. Dirk Schouten, 2. Paul Meijer, 3. Benjamin Paque
Rookie: 1. Kobe Pauwels, 2. Sam Jongejan, 3. Domas Raudonis
PRO-AM: 1. Jani Käkelä, 2. Jules Grouwels, 3. Ziad Geris
Teams: 1. Q1 Trackracing, 2. D’Ieteren Luxury Performance, 3. RedAnt Racing