4 Hours of Spa Classic, First round.

Saturday at 19h30, along with the first drops of rain that turn out to be the foreplay of a real rain shower, the start of the first round of the 4 Hours of Spa Classic is given. The Moto Guzzi of Charles-Artigues/Sleurs is on the lead and soon isolates itself from the rest. Chavanne who shares a Yamaha with Richard Hubin, crashes and throws in the towel, after which the Kawasaki of Haquin/Hampe sets in its attack to the first position and manages to get a hold of it just before the safety car gets on track due to a crash of Greggio/fusaro, which is not too bad but requires a brooming of the track.

Fifteen minutes later, the race takes on again and the two leaders get the company of the Honda of Mertens/Martin as well as the Honda from Gysbrechts/Smith-Halvorsen. After the first pit stops it’s the Honda of Johner/Coche that takes the lead, with in its wheel Gouin/Bachelet (Honda).
The track starts drying up and that shows in the lap times, which improve with every round.

Bit by bit, the n° 69 loses its advance, but then the safety car once again is called on the track to evacuate a commissioner who became sick, this has a big influence on the further development of the race. Mertens enters the pit just when the race starts again, causing him to lose contact with the Moto Guzzi. This last one rides very regular rounds hence increases his advance. Only the Kawasaki of Haquin/Hampe manages to stay in the same lap, but without at any point menacing the leaders.

Four teams fight for the third place. Eventually, it’s the Honda of Johner/Coche that makes it, before the Honda of Gouin/Bachelet and the one of Mertens/Martin. The start of the second round, of one and a half hour, will be given on Sunday at 15h20.