Benoît and François Semoulin Lamborghini Super Trofeo world champions
A week after John Wartique at Ferrari’s Finali Mondiali at Imola, Belgium shone again at a World Cup in a prestigious one-make competition. This time, it was on the Portimao circuit on the occasion of the World Finals of Lamborghini Super Trofeo on the Portuguese circuit of Portimao, bringing together the specialists of the Sant’Agata Bolognese bull championship from all continents.
If Amaury Bonduel was not served by success, Benoît and François Semoulin, whose small team Semspeed box above its own weight, on the other hand had an almost perfect weekend. « We had the choice between racing in Barcelona or doing the grand final in Portimao since we had won our ticket to participate », comments Benedict. « We arrived on Monday morning on tiptoe when most of the teams had been filing the track for a week. We had our only setback at the start of the week, which was a broken clutch. We’re dedicated to taming this circuit of Portimao which is magnificent but very complicated with blind corners happening at the bottom of fifth gear! To stay polite, you have to have a hell of a pair in places… »
The two final rounds of the European Championship were well conducted with two victories in two races in the LB Cup category reserved above all for amateur pilots. Then came the long-awaited moment of the two races counting for the Lamborghini World Cup. “Qualifying for Race 1 went badly as my fastest lap was not counted and I was trapped by red flags,” continues Benedict. « I therefore started 6th but François and I managed to finish the race in second position in our category. Race 2 presented itself under better auspices since François qualified our Huracan in second position. After remaining second for a good part of the race, I was able to take first place 15 minutes from the finish to clinch victory.Thanks to the accumulation of our results, we are crowned world champions of Lamborghini Super Trofeo in the LB Cup category! «
After achieving an insolent double as the curtain raiser of the 24 Hours of Spa, the Semoulin brothers conclude a memorable season in apotheosis. « November 6, 2022 is a date that we will not soon forget. Our Semspeed team also becomes the first Belgian team to win the Lamborghini World Finals. We thank all our members who were perfect from start to finish. other of the weekend. As Giorgio Sanna, the boss of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, readily reminds us, we are the only real amateur team running in the Super Trofeo and in Portimao, we won in front of all the gratin of the brand! , what we have just experienced will remain forever etched in our memories.
For the record, ex-F1 driver and Formula E champion Nelson Piquet Jr who won the World Finals overall. In the meantime, the champagne promises to flow freely on the side of Thulin, stronghold of the Semoulin family, this week!
