“After a few years away from the track, I’ve been itching to make a comeback. The main question was and is: do I still have the skills to do this? At the end of last year, I had the opportunity to test this on the Dutch circuit of Zandvoort”, says Philippe Bonneel of PB2828 Racing.
The test came at the invitation of the organiser of the Supercar Challenge. Philippe Bonneel participated for many years in this championship, with several podiums and victories in Zolder, Assen, Zandvoort and Spa Francorchamps. These were victories he achieved at the wheel of both a BMW M3 E92 GTR and a BMW E90 WTCC. This time, Philippe got behind the wheel of a BMW M2 CS Racing.
“This test was done with a view to resuming part of my motor racing activities in 2022. The plan is to do fewer races and put more emphasis on endurance,” we hear. “I was offered to test a very interesting car for this. The M2 CS Racing, a 100% BMW Motorsport product, is a car that is mainly used in Cup races. The version I tested was the top version with 450 horsepower.”
Events with partners during endurance races
Afterwards, a number of questions were answered in no uncertain terms. Yes, the skills are still there. And perhaps even more, the ‘desire’ is still burning.
“I felt like a fish in water, the fire was burning intensely again. The car felt comfortable and I quickly found a good rhythm.”
“In the meantime, I decided to start the preparations with a view to a reappearance in 2022. The idea is not to complete a full championship, but to participate in just a few events per year, especially endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Zolder. Linked to that, my team and I want to organise events again, just like in the past. During these events, partners in turn get the opportunity to establish closer ties with their customers. This is something that seems very valuable in these times, after the many restrictions we experienced during the pandemic!”