Jos wins rally Zuid-Limburg again: 'It is only getting better'

Published on 10 November 2024 by Kees-Jan Koster

Jos Verstappen, alongside co-driver Renaud Jamoul, has won the Rally Zuid-Limburg in Belgium. Following his 2023 victory, the 52-year-old Verstappen was once again dominant in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 car. This year, the team claimed victory in eleven out of the twelve stages.

“It went really well, I am very pleased,” said Jos. “The course was slightly modified compared to last year. We also entered this race to test a few things, and there is no better place for that than a rally.” Jos continued, “We are aiming to keep improving ourselves. Things are going very well with my co-driver Renaud. He is incredibly driven and professional. You need a good connection and mutual respect, and that is certainly there. It is only getting better.”

The Rally Zuid-Limburg featured three different stages: Walshoutem (9.24 km), Kerkom (9.86 km), and Borlo (11.04 km). Each of which was driven four times. In total, twelve stages were completed throughout the day.

During the first run of the three stages, Jos quickly set the pace by winning all three, taking a 13-second lead over Frédéric Miclotte and his co-driver Robbie Plevoets. Verstappen and Jamoul then also managed to finish all three stages as the fastest team in the second round, extending their lead over Miclotte to 36 seconds.

In the third round, Jos again took first place on Walshoutem and Kerkom, though for the first time in the rally, he was beaten on the Borlo stage. Kris Princen and his co-driver Peter Kaspers completed the ninth stage almost three seconds faster than the overall leader. Despite this, Verstappen extended his lead over Miclotte on each stage, ultimately achieving a substantial 53-second advantage.

When the three stages were tackled for the fourth and final time, Jos once again claimed victory in all three. This allowed the duo to finish with wins in eleven out of the twelve stages and one second place. By the end of the day, their lead over Miclotte stood at 1 minute and 3 seconds, with a total time of 49 minutes and 7 seconds.