NEWS

Anthony Kumpen looks back at 2009 and ahead to 2010

2009 was a successful year for Anthony Kumpen, Mike Hezemans and the PK Carsport team. With two victories and second place in the FIA GT Championship, the team can be rightly proud of their performance. Yet there remains a bit of a mixed feelings regarding the recent commotion surrounding the last FIA GT race at Zolder.

"2009 was indeed very special" said Anthony Kumpen. "It was a great season in that we had limited resources to drive the car itself, because it is unusual for us as only 1 team can have a private test day and finish it until a time when there are only three matches were driving. It says much about the frugal way we have to work. In Portimao we would have had, without intervention of the safety car, a further gap (from the Maserati) in points. In Paul Ricard we were with 100kg weight penalty and far for our title rivals. I realized the pole in Zolder with 60kg and Maserati on a real circuit, while the other Corvettes of Bernoldi etc with fewer pounds to more than the others were 7th. I still find it unfair that I lost my pole and moved 5 places back on the grid. I think one of my best rounds ever was at Zolder."

After the race in Zolder PK Carsport had some complaints. "Our case for the International Court of Appeal against Vitaphone on their pit stop is inadmissible. This means that the case is not treated because from what I understand this procedure does not exist. The only thing I find it strange that the decision was 5 days longer overdue and then announced that only to say that the case is not treated, but we must now live with that but surely. "

"As for the trial of the engine. Here, GM has clearly communicated to the FIA that they themselves have made an administrative error, a wrong picture in the approval document for homologation. Our team was punished because of this, but in principle it was nothing we could have controled, as the engine and other things are directly controlled from GM and they are also responsible for the approval documents."

"In conclusion we can make clear that more could have been, but nevertheless we are super happy. The FIA GT Championship in 2009 was a high level (of competition) with very strong teams and riders. We had up until the last moment of the season to fight for the title and vice-world champion as a result. The best moment of the season was the victory in the 24h of Francorchamps, one of the most important GT races in the world, perhaps the most important. We should be very proud of what our small Belgian team was able to achieve against the professional teams. The team never made a mistake, we always had the best pit stops and the right strategy. My teammate Mike and I can look back on a flawless championship. In this trend we want to continue (this year in 2010) with the aim to finish 1st place. "

Anthony and PK are now in full speed in gearing up for the FIAs first World GT1 Championship. "We are currently working on all sponsorship negotiations for a full season this year in the new FIA GT1 World Championship to finish. Furthermore, we are working on our automatic Le Mans entry gained after the 24h of Spa and hope to go to the 24h Le Mans and win. We hope to run this program and confirm this as soon as possible. "