Eric De Doncker is the only Belgian driver on the grid for the penultimate round of the 2018 Michelin Le Mans Cup at Spa-Francorchamps. The former GT4 European Cup champion finished third in the 2017 Michelin Le Mans Cup standings, taking victory at the final race of the season in Portimao last year.
This season has been harder but racing alongside French driver Dino Lunardi, De Doncker is looking for a better points haul at his home race in Belgium.
What is the best thing for you as a Belgian driver, with a Belgian team, about racing at Spa?
“It is always nice to race at home and to race at Spa. It is good to be with friends and with the fans who come to watch the race. I also have a Belgian sponsor, Panini, so the race at Spa is good for them as they come with some customers. I really look forward to this race.”
What is your favourite corner or corners at Spa?
“It is still the same as always, the double S at Pouhon. The whole track is fantastic, Eau Rouge, Raidillon but for me Pouhon is really challenging and it is my favourite corner.”
What are your thoughts on the competition in LMP3 this season?
“I am really happy because there are more cars and the level is a lot higher than last year. Team wise and driver wise, there a lot of really good pros and the level of the Am drivers is just so much higher. The competition is fantastic and is at another level.”
What is the appeal of endurance racing to you as a racing driver?
“For me the Michelin Le Mans Cup is not an endurance race, it is a two hour sprint. Even races like the Spa 24 Hours is not what you would class as endurance anymore, you have to go as fast as you can the whole time. In the Le Mans Cup I share the car with another driver, at Spa it will be Dino Lunardi again, and that is something different and that teamwork is the essence of the races. But for me it is not really endurance, it’s a sprint – which is good!”
What are you hoping to achieve at Spa?
“The goal is definitely a podium. This season has not been as good as last year, the level is higher this year. We’ve had a few issues with the car, at the Red Bull Ring it rained at the beginning of the race, but the goal, for sure, is the podium at Spa.”
