BSS: HTP Mercedes gets surprise Zolder win

Maximilian Buhk and Maximilian Gotz pulled off a surprise Blancpain Sprint Series victory for the HTP Mercedes team at Zolder. The HTP Motorsport duo came from sixth on the grid in the main race to claim a victory by 2.8 seconds on a circuit that didn't favor their Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Buhk, who had muscled his way up to sixth in Saturday's qualifying event, jumped to fourth at the start, before a quick turn-around during the mandatory pitstops by the HTP squad got Gotz out just ahead of his pursuers.

Jeroen Bleekemolen, who had taken over the Grasser Lamborghini Gallardo LFII from Hari Proczyk, was unable to mount a challenge and was powerless to prevent the Merc edging away to a clear victory.

Laurens Vanthoor, who won the qualifying event with Cesar Ramos, was likewise unable to do anything about the Lambo and took the checkered flag 1.3sec behind in third.

Gotz said: "I saw him right behind me and thought that it was going to be very tough, but I pushed like hell and kept him behind."

Buhk said that he couldn't believe that HTP had taken the victory.

"When I came here on Friday, I wasn't feeling confident and even when I got to fourth at the start I wasn't thinking of a podium," he declared

The result means that Gotz extends his lead at the the head of the BSS, while Buhk does likewise in the standings of the Blancpain GT Series encompassing the BSS and the sister Blancpain Endurance Series.

Step Dusseldorp and Sergey Afanasiev ended up fourth in the second HTP entry after starting 11th. Fifth went to the factory-run Beechdean Aston Martin V12 Vantage shared by Andy Soucek and Jonny Adam.