Calendar 2009

Below you see the preview of my 2009 calendar. The calendar showcases a combination of different classes.
( F1/Clienti, GP2, FIA GT and Ferrari Challenge )
Important dates like New Year’s Day, Easter, National Days and Christmas are included.

Talking about Christmas… this calendar will be the perfect gift!

To keep my work exclusive there are only 51 calendar’s available. ( I will mark the numbers by hand )

SOON more news! The calendars will be available half October/ begin November.

Total 24 hours of Spa

Even before the start of the race the pole postion car (nr.7 Saleen from Vosse/Franchi/Lamy/Zacchia) crashed on top of the Eau Rouge during the warm up. It impact was so heavy that they couldn’t start the race.

24 Hours of racing is a battle against the time for man and machine.  The famous quote “You can’t win the 24H in the first corner” went arround on the paddock just before the start.

Xavier Maassen thought different and made a great start. At the end of the Camel straight he took first place in Les Combes from Fassler.

The Corvette C6R was just ready to race after a big impact during the training. Sadly there was no time to check the car proper before the race and after a couple of laps the Corvette started to have brake problems.

A few laps later it was all over for the nr.3 Corvette when Maassen crashed the car into the tire wall at the Bus Stop chicane. Again it wasn’t a drivers error but problems with the brakes.

The Maserati drivers didn’t push their cars to the limit and it should pay off later on.

With one AF Corse on the pole position for GT2 class the other one had to start from the pits because of an engine change.

Under the eyes of the master himself the drivers and teams went into the night shift.

During the night session the drivers had great difficaults aspecially because of the weather changes all the time.

Record holder of the most victories in FIA GT; Karl Wendlinger had a moment, lost control and drove into one of the Phoenix Carsport Racing Corvette’s. It was fatal for the Jetalliance Aston Martin team.

During the race the Italian forces went stronger and stronger. Maserati leading for GT1and Ferrari for GT2.

The winners from last year couldn’t repeat their performance. They had a dramatic end when the engine went on fire.

Just before the end it started to rain again. Enough to force alot of stress in the Vita Phone Maserati box.

At the end it was Maserati who won in the GT1 class. With this result Eric van de Poele has won his 5th 24 hours of Spa. A record performance! Third place was for the Gigawave Aston Martin.

In GT2 it was the BMS Scuderia Italia team with the Ferrari who won in front of the Prospeed Porsche from Collard/Westbrook/Lieb.

Visit the FULL gallery on Van De Velde Photography.com

Photographs brough you by: Michaël van de Velde

Ferrari 430 Challenge – Paul Ricard [Trofeo Pirelli]

The home race from Ange Barde and Nicolas Misslin, the 2007 Coppa Shell champion Lloyd La Marca and championship contenders Bjorn Grossmann, Max Blandardi and Philipp Baron are the ingredients for a spectacular racing event.

Ange Barde ( 2 ) who won here last year the first race had to start from 7th place on grid.
A nearly mission impossible, but not for Ange.

On the pole its another French driver, Nicolas Misslin.

With holding the lead in the first part of the race Misslin ( 5 ) was forced to give up with gearbox problems.

Max Blancardi ( 3 ) took the lead and for a moment it looked like he should win the race. Ange Barde had different thoughts and in the final stages of the race he took the lead.

From left to right: Max Blancardi, Ange Barde and Bjorn Grossmann.

Race 2 and its Bjorn Grossmann on the pole position. After some bad luck in the previous races he is back in form.

Philipp Baron ( 9 ) had good hopes for a podium place at end of race 2.

Bjorn Grossmann ( 4 ) in the lead from start to finish.

Alexey Vasiliev ( 8 ) couldn’t continue after a collision in the early stages of the race.

Lloyd La Marca ( 77 ) found out there is a very strong competition in the Trofeo Pirelli. He finished 11th.

Philipp Baron’s thoughts became reality and he finished 3rd.

Bjorn Grossmann could use the victory and he is back in the race for the championship.

From left to right: Ange Barde, Bjorn Grossmann and Philipp Baron.

Ferrari 430 Challenge – Paul Ricard [Coppa Shell]

The Saturday morning qualifine sessions started with a huge moment for Oleg Barabash.
Just after the Mistral straight in ‘Signes’ he lost control, went off and made a sideway impact with the crash barrier. (I don’t know if it was a drivers error or mechanical problem)
The Paul Ricard crew did a fast job to give Oleg all the medical attation he needed and in an Official confirmation we heard that he broke his leg. (Van De Velde Photography wish Oleg a good and fast recovery)

Normaly its nice and sunny in the Cote d’Azur but this time it was cloudy. With a strong wind at end of the weekend days the F1 Clienti drivers had great difficaults to controle their cars.

Race 1 and the clouds packed together.

It was the French driver Jean-Marc Bachelier ( 129 ) on the pole with Jaimie Constable ( 127 ) making it an all front row for the Ferrari GB Dealer Team. Championship leader Michael Cantillon ( 128 ) had to start from 7th place.

During the race Bachelier kept his head cool but further down the field there were some hot battles.

For this event the La Marca family was back and aimed for success with Kessel Racing. Eric wanted to repeat the success from his older brother Lloyd in 2007. Well, he did and I think in the whole history of Ferrari Challenge nobody was happier at the end of the race than Eric.

Sad enough for Eric the joy didn’t took long because the stewards found something on the car and they disqualified Eric.

At 3/4 of the race Jaimie Constable had the ‘drive through penaly’ sign board which cost him a podium place.

As you can see not everybody was pleased with the move Jaimie made.

Jean-Marc Bachelier took the victory at the end of race 1. Second became Eric La Marca (later disqualified) and third place was for Wido Roessler. For the championship it should be: 1. Bachelier 2. Roessler 3. Cantillon.

Race winner Jean-Marc Bachelier.

Championship leader Michael Cantillon happy to take points to stay in the lead.

Day 2 and this time it was Plamen Kralev on the pole.

Compatriot Fons Scheltema had to start from 14th out of 27.

The start of race 2 with Kralev in the lead and he drove a race without mistakes.

Walter Forer ( 109 ) had more problems…

…and a few laps later Forer had to make a move to avoid a touch with Fons Scheltema who was under attack by Magnus Frodig from Sweden.

Hero of the day was Eric La Marca who started from 7th and again took 2nd place. This time there was nothing wrong with the car.

From left to right: Eric La Marca, Plamen Kralev and Michael Cantillon.

6th Historique de Monaco

Where else than Monaco would be the perfect place to have an event like this?

With various cars through the years the spectators had worth for their money. There is no other circuit where you can get so close to the track than in Monaco.

I think the photographs says enough for this blog!

Seen yourself? Want to see more photographs? See the full gallery on Van De Velde Photography.com

Direct album link: 6th Historique de Monaco

Pictures brought you by: Michaël van de Velde | Van De Velde Photography

Ferrari 430 Challenge – Silverstone [Trofeo Pirelli]

The Trofeo Pirelli was the last class on the program during Saterday. The weather became from bad to wurse and the Trofeo Pirelli class should have all difficaults to keep the cars on the track. Never the less 18 out of 19 cars should finish the race.

The field had an extra warm up lap to heat up the tires and check the conditions. After the start it was Baron for half of the race leading the field but than the drivers had to came in for rain tires.

After the pitstops it was Barde in controle followed by Blancardi and Baron back to third place.

The places for the podium didn’t chance, so at the end of the race it was the 2006 Trofeo Pirelli champion Barde in first, Blancardi second and Baron third.

Ange Barde

Max Blancardi

Philipp Baron

Robert Pergl (39) and Phillipe Prette (7) showing the conditions.

Bjorn Grossmann

Max Blancardi

Ange Barde on top of the podium.

During race 2 it was still wet but a little better as the laptimes showed. The drivers were about 10 to 15 seconds faster in their fastest lap.

Guest driver Andrea Piccini for the Ferrari GB Dealer Team was in controle for the second race. He was taking a pretty big gap but half way the race Barde came back.

In lap 7 Robert Pergl went off in Becketts. Two laps later it was Sergio Rota who left the track almost on the same point.

Piccini won the race but Barde took the points for the championship. At the end of the race the gap was just 1.948.

The start of race 2 and Piccini was allready pulling away.

Andrea Piccini

Phillipe Prette

Sergio Rota lost controle in Becketts. Very disappointed he left the gravel to retire.

Jan Danis

Bjorn Grossmann

Piccini across the line to win the second race.

Piccini searching for his teamsleader to share the joy.

Ange Barde

Ferrari 430 Challenge – Silverstone [Coppa Shell]

This weekend it was time for the second round in the European Ferrari 430 Challenge 2008 season.

It wasn’t the ulitmate weather for racing. Fougy, drizzle and cold conditions all weekend.

These conditons were not only bad for the drivers and mechanics but also for the media. Walking through the mudd, standing all day long freezing around the track, difficault to find the right focal for sharp photographs and the correct color settings are a few of the difficaults.

The Coppa Shell had the kick off for the first race on Saterday. With the Ferrari GB Dealer Team driver Cantillon on the pole the home crowed had all hopes for a victory on home ground. Michael Cantillon (‘MIKE’) didn’t disapoint the fans by taking a huge lead at the end of the first lap. But because of a collision in Abbey the safty car had to came out.

Three laps later the field was good to go again. Cantillon didn’t waste his first place and never had real fear from the rest of the field.

Mike won by 12.467 ahead of team mate Jaimie Constable and third spot was for Angel Santos.

Cantillon leading the field by a huge gap in lap 2.

The field behind the safty car.

Later on this should be the guys on the podium.

Also for Coleman it was a home race.

Michael Cantillon on the way to take victory!

A very happy Michael Cantillon.

For race 2 in the Coppa Shell the conditons were even wurse than the day before. With foug and drizzle the drivers had to prepare for a wet race.

With laps about 10 to 15 seconds slower the drivers had to handle the powerfull Ferrari’s with care and persision.

Cantillon felt very good in the wet and again he took the lead. This time with an even bigger gap on the rest of the field. Only Plamen Kralev could follow a little. After the 38 minutes + 1 lap it was Michael Cantillon who took his second victory of the weekend followed by Plamen Kralev on 27.292 seconds and third spot was again for Angel Santos.

“WET RACE”

Dutch pride Dave Basu in the Kroymans Ferrari 430 Challenge.

An all front row for the Ferrari GB Dealer Team at home ground!

The pictures shows the conditons… but it didn’t bother Cantillon.

Plamen Kralev also had good weekend with 5th in race 1 and 2nd in race 2.

Angel Santos kept his head cool and took two times third place at Silverstone.

Cantillon flirting with the crowed.

Santos made a little pose…

…but it was Cantillon with the big smile!

Some work from 2007

let me preview you allready with some work from 2007!