Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux: Sonny Gevaert has his Fiesta debut

Sonny Gevaert is a driver who exactly meets the profile that the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux is designed for. Still very young at the age of 17, coming from karting, looking for the first stage of racing with the prospect of further development. The resident of Kuurne, Belgium, made his Oeste Racing debut during the Hankook Spring race at Circuit Zandvoort. However, this did not happen entirely without a fight.

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Sonny Gevaert was not yet ten years old when he rode a kart for the first time on vacation. As usual, the virus struck immediately and one thing led to another. After indoor karting, the first steps were taken on the outdoor track, where Gevaert was able to win once in Venray. Unfortunately, corona worked hard, meaning that plans made for the following year had to be postponed.

The string was successfully restarted in 2022, after which the useful kart meters were also made in competition in 2023. Meanwhile, Gevaert had contacted Jo Lambrecht. “As a birthday present I was allowed to test drive the car from the C1 Racing Cup and then drive it again. Then the Oeste Kart and Fiestas test day in Mettet came into the picture. Jo pointed out to me that the Fiesta would be the next step after the C1 , following the example of Calvin de Groot, but a year in the Fiesta Cup was not more expensive than the C1. Then I drove the Fiesta in Mettet and we were sold immediately. “For example, we joined forces with Oeste Racing and now we are here at Circuit Zandvoort.” says a happy Gevaert.

For the now 17-year-old apprentice, it was his first meters at Circuit Zandvoort on Friday before the Hankook Spring race. “Very good work, very challenging. The height differences are much bigger than I thought,” says Gevaert, who is preparing for the circuits he has to run at SIM. When asked about his goals for his first year, Gevaert is cautious. “The results are not yet given.” priority. I mainly want to learn a lot and not drive any damage.” And let the end happen. With two minutes to go in Saturday’s qualifying, Gevaert went off the line at the Gerlach bend and parked his Fiesta on the tecpro barrier. “I went out a little bit and then the back wasn’t out,” the apparently collapsed presenter looked back on the incident.

Although at first it seemed as if the Zandvoort race weekend would be over immediately, the men of Oeste Racing did not give up and went to work. And with success, because at 3 am the Fiesta was ready to run again for the two races that will take place on Sunday. From his seventh qualifying start, Gevaert also finished seventh in his first race in the Ford Fiesta Sprint Cup Benelux. In the second race, Gevaert was again allowed to start from seventh place and again crossed the finish line in seventh place, best for fourth place in the Junior Cup for drivers aged 15 to 24. With seven more after the accident , the bad luck must have been shaken once and the rest of the season can go well for the contestant.