The competitors returned to action in Navarra with palpable anticipation, ending a 160-day hiatus since the last V de V Sports race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans held in November. Their patience was rewarded with an uncommon format in historic racing: an eight-hour endurance contest featuring teams of two to four drivers. After a dramatic and unpredictable race, Marc de Siebenthal and Jean-André Collard claimed victory in the distinctive KMW SP 30 Porsche, owned by Serge Libens—securing the car’s first-ever win.
Saturday’s qualifying session saw the unusual KMW Porsche #61 take pole position, setting the stage for a tense start as teams finalized strategies amid uncertain weather conditions. When the race began at 12:30 PM on a dry circuit, a leading trio quickly emerged: Siebenthal in the #61 KMW Porsche, Romain Belleteste in the #48 Chevron B16 Bi-Rotor, and Benjamin Monnay in the #84 Chevron B16.
Belleteste and Monnay initially traded positions in a closely fought duel, but Monnay gradually lost ground, slipping by roughly one second per lap. Belleteste seized the lead on lap 12, though Siebenthal remained within striking distance and reclaimed the position on lap 21. Both drivers consistently set fastest laps, edging closer to pole pace as fuel loads lightened. After one hour, the gap between them stood at just two-tenths of a second, while Monnay trailed by nearly 40 seconds.
The race’s first major interruption came after two hours, when the Porsche 911 3.0 SC #9 stopped on track, triggering a safety car period. Driver changes followed, with Daniel Roustan and Jean-André Collard taking over in the #48 Chevron and #61 Porsche respectively, continuing their intense battle.
Strategy soon became critical. Fuel management played a decisive role, with the KMW Porsche able to run for two hours between refueling stops, compared to the Chevron’s shorter 100-minute window due to its fuel-hungry twin-rotor Mazda engine. The #48 Chevron faced additional setbacks, including a mid-race brake pad change and three drive-through penalties for track limits and pit-lane speed infractions. These issues allowed the #84 Chevron of Châteaux Sport Auto to move back into second place.
Despite building a lead of more than a lap, the KMW Porsche suffered a major setback when it was forced into the pits due to a broken oil catch can fitting, which caused oil to spill onto the tires. Although the car rejoined the race, it had dropped two laps behind, seemingly ending its chances.
However, the race took a dramatic turn in the final hour as rain swept across the circuit. Mechanical reliability, rather than driver error, proved decisive. Moisture infiltrated the distributor of the leading car, causing it to fall to third place. The KMW Porsche capitalized, reclaiming the lead just as another safety car was deployed following the retirement of the #20 Porsche 944. A final-lap restart failed to alter the order.
Siebenthal and Collard ultimately secured victory in the KMW Porsche SP 30 #61, ahead of Belleteste and Roustan in the Chevron B16 Bi-Rotor #48. Monnay and Augustin Sanjuan completed the podium in the #84 Chevron B16 despite late-race misfortune.
Jean-André Collard reflected on the decisive moments:
“Shortly after the downpour started, we decided to put on rain tires, and it was the right choice. For a few laps, we were fifteen seconds faster than those who stayed out on the track. And besides, I have to admit, we do like the rain in Belgium! This is only our second race with this car, after our podium finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in November. This KMW Porsche has never won a period race; yet it was very competitive in the Interserie. Marc de Siebenthal, who prepares it, is overjoyed, as is its owner, my uncle Serge Libens.”
In supporting categories, Lionel Vancheri, Florent Cazalot, and Maxime Jouvin claimed victory in Sports 2000 aboard the Crosslé 47 S #40. The Saloon Car class was won by Éric Wassermann and Charles Veillard in the BMW 323i #35. Arnold Noret and Jacques Colibet led the Porsche 944 field in the #20 car, while Anthony Schrauwen and Tom Cloet secured Touring Car honors in the BMW 635 Gr. A #12—an impressive achievement in their debut V de V Sports appearance.
Meet at the Two Clock Towers
Winners were awarded Depancel watches, including Allure and D[r]iver Black models, as part of the brand’s partnership with V de V Sports. A special series dedicated to the 2 Tours d’Horloge is also in development. Trophies were handcrafted by La Fabrique du Chat Noir, featuring engraved plaques created by artisan Corentin du Chatnoir in Les Garennes-sur-Loire. Competitors additionally received polo shirts courtesy of Benson & Cherry, the event’s official outfitter.
Beyond competition, the Navarra meeting maintained the hallmark convivial atmosphere of V de V Sports events, highlighted by a Thursday evening gathering that brought together drivers, mechanics, marshals, and officials.
The next event is scheduled for November 6–8 at Circuit Paul Ricard for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s only 24-hour race exclusively for historic vehicles. Updates and announcements will be shared via Facebook and Instagram in the lead-up to the event.
Results
| Pos | No | Team | Year | Car | Laps | Total time | Best lap |
| 1 | 61 | MANSFELD | 1973 | KMW Porsche SP30 | 211 | 08:01:05.327 | 02:01.759 |
| 2 | 48 | ATLANTIC RACING | 1970 | Chevron B16 Bi-Rotor | 209 | 08:02:11.656 | 02:01.184 |
| 3 | 84 | CHATEAUX SPORT AUTO | 1971 | Chevron B16 | 207 | 07:47:38.109 | 02:02.041 |
| 4 | 28 | ATELIER 43 | 1966 | Crosslé 9S – Zetec | 204 | 08:01:54.173 | 02:02.897 |
| 5 | 40 | LES 4 FANTASTICS | 1981 | Crossle 47 S | 202 | 08:01:20.821 | 02:09.836 |
| 6 | 35 | WASSERMANN RACING | 1981 | BMW 323 i | 199 | 08:02:28.129 | 02:10.629 |
| 7 | 66 | TEAM ZOSH CLASSIC | 1990 | Porsche 964 | 195 | 08:01:06.401 | 02:10.202 |
| 8 | 42 | FOREZ GUMP | 1981 | Crossle 47 S | 192 | 08:01:18.434 | 02:10.016 |
| 9 | 12 | – | 1984 | BMW 635 Gr. A | 191 | 08:01:16.672 | 02:14.055 |
| 10 | 11 | V DE V | 1964 | TVR Griffith 200 | 186 | 08:01:52.124 | 02:15.843 |
| 11 | 20 | CUDINI RACING TEAM | 1989 | Porsche 944 S2 | 181 | 07:34:31.838 | 02:16.903 |
| 12 | 24 | DE SIEBENTHAL | 1990 | Porsche 964 | 180 | 08:00:01.117 | 02:18.506 |
| 13 | 72 | FLATSIX LE MANS CIRCUIT | 1982 | Porsche 911 3,0 SC | 176 | 08:03:40.672 | 02:18.429 |
| 14 | 183 | CHATEAUX SPORT AUTO | 1979 | BMW 635 CSI | 171 | 08:03:04.884 | 02:11.929 |
| 15 | 9 | GT CLASSIC | 1981 | Porsche 911 3,0 SC | 160 | 08:01:12.534 | 02:09.158 |
| 16 | 85 | ATLANTIC RACING | 1982 | BMW 635 Super Production | 150 | 08:01:59.248 | 02:14.105 |
| 17 | 22 | HCCR / GARAGE DELARCHE | 1990 | Caterham Superseven | 155 | 06:05:59.508 | 02:11.499 |
