It has grown into a tradition now: Europarlementarian Guy Verhofstadt returns every year to classic historic racing behind the wheel of one of the very fine Abarths coming from the formidable collection of Guy Moerenhout.
Two Guy’s meet every year again to go racing: Guy Moerenhout (left) meets Guy Verhofstadt (right) at the reception of his premises… getting ready for the official team presentation at Guy Moerenhout’s Abarth Museum in Lier.
He will participate also this year at the same race, the Legend Boucles @ Bastogne, with is expertly organised by Pierre Delettre.
This year Guy Verhoftsadt will have another “Guy” as team mate, namely Guy (Guido) Devreker. His car stems of course from the l’Abarth Squadra Storica Team of Guy Moerenhout. This time he will not be driving his usual Fiat Ritmo 125 TC, but instead an equally pristine Lancia Beta Coupé. You see the team and their Lancia here on the photo on the left.
On the right, you see on the photo Guy Moerenhout shaking hands with his co-driver Filip De Munck, standing beside their 124 Abarth Spider.
Your servant was kindly invited to the reception at the vast premises of Guy Moerenhout, where he houses the largest collection of historic Abarths in the world. It is truly stunning what meets the eye there, we just show you here some photographs, but we will come back later with a full report.
The collection is breathtaking, as this photo shows, and what to think of not less than four-in-a-row pristine 2300 S Coupés, neatly composing a full bloodied “Abarth Squadra corse” team? Just look at the photo below…
Besides the engines and the marvelous sound, Abarth driving was also all about admiring the instruments… you find them all at Guy Moerenhout’s Abarth Museum…
Guy Moerenhout, a man who remains enthusiastic as ever for his brand with the Scorpione, participates also in the race of course, driving his Fiat 124 Abarth Spider together with Filip De Munck. Not less than four cars are entered by the l’Abarth Squadra Storica Team of Guy Moerenhout for this Legend Boucles @ Bastogne, to be held on 17, 18 et 19 of February. Another Fiat 124 Abarth Spider is entered, for the team Eric Vlaisloir et Jeroen Nys. You see that car here slightly in the back on the photo below.
The photo shows indeed here the fourth car, a pristine and completely “as new” restored Fiat 124 Sport Spider , with Dirk Vermeersch at the wheel, and Christel Bauwens as the co-driver. We had a very interesting conversation with Esther de Bièvre, the PR agent for Dirk Vermeersch. Having been a successful racing driver in his early career, Dirk now owns his own vineyard in French Rhone valley, in Suze La Rousse, she explained.
We tasted his excellent Le Plan GT (Grand Terroir) wine at the reception…
We will tell you all about this later in more detail, we just let you enjoy here the photos!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 