Maya Weug claims Belcar Endurance podium on GT racing debut

"I really enjoyed driving the GT car in a long race for the first time. It's a very different thing, but I really enjoyed it" - F1 Academy vice-champion Maya Weug secured a podium finish in her very first start in GT racing with a second place at the opening round of the 2026 Belcar Endurance Championship at Zolder.

Photo credits: Maya Weug

F1 Academy vice-champion Maya Weug secured a podium finish in her very first start in GT racing with a second place at the opening round of the 2026 Belcar Endurance Championship at Zolder.

Sharing the #2 Porsche 992 GT3 Cup car entered by ART Racing with Christoff Corten and Benjamin Paque, the Weug ran a composed and highly competitive stint in challenging weather conditions during the three-hour endurance contest.

The race marked an important step in Weug's career, who graduates to GT racing after an extensive single-seater career. Since stepping up from karting in 2021, Maya had competed in Italian F4, ADAC F4 and Formula Regional European Championship, where she consistently scored points and claimed a Rookie class victory. She later moved to F1 Academy as Ferrari’s representative in 2024, enjoying a highly successful two-year stint that brought four race wins, 17 podium finishes, a third place in the 2024 standings and a runner-up finish in 2025 following a strong late-season charge.

Her first taste of GT machinery came only a few months ago, when she tested a Ferrari 296 GT3 with AF Corse in December at Barcelona, her initial experience in a closed-cockpit car.

Her 2026 programme was then confirmed in April, joining ART Racing in the Belcar Endurance Championship, offering the opportunity to develop in endurance racing while learning the Porsche 992 Cup car in a competitive environment.

Preparation for her debut began on Thursday at Zolder, where Weug familiarised herself with both the car and the notoriously demanding Belgian circuit, an old-school track with little margin for error. Friday’s practice sessions focused on long runs and higher fuel loads, with the ART Racing trio finishing third fastest with a best lap of 1:31.696, prioritising race preparation.

Qualifying duties were entrusted to Benjamin Paque, who delivered an excellent performance with a 1:30.932 lap to secure second position on the grid for Sunday’s race, placing the team in contention for a top spot from the outset.

"I had done the test in Barcelona one day, but I was jumping into the weekend with not much experience, a new car and a new track for me as well", Maya explained after the weekend. "So a lot to learn. We did some runs on Thursday, just to get a feeling."

"On Friday we had free practice where I did a long run on high fuel and a race stint. It's a track where it was very tricky with traffic; it's a tight track and not super long, with more than 30 cars on track - so I was overtaking every lap, which was actually quite enjoyable."

"Benjamin [Paque] did quali, did P2, which was good, a strong result. And we raced from there."

Photo credits: Ollievision Media

Sunday’s race began under heavy rain, creating extremely tricky conditions that added another challenge to Weug’s GT debut - who would however soon prove to be up for the task.

Christoff Corten took the start and held second place early on, although the leading car of Derdaele began to edge away. Corten, however, was among the few drivers able to lap consistently in the 1:46 range, aiming to build a buffer over the chasing pack.

Pressure soon came from Kai Rillaerts, who was also showing strong pace. Rillaerts made a move on lap 7, dropping Corten to third, but the ART Racing driver maintained a comfortable margin of over ten seconds to the cars behind - a gap that he would extend to nearly 20 seconds by lap 15. As the top three pulled clear, the order stabilised, with Corten holding a solid third.

After 45 minutes, the #2 ART Racing Porsche made its first stop, with Corten pitting and handing over to Maya Weug for her first-ever race stint in GT machinery. Rejoining in fifth place, with several competitors yet to stop, the team effectively ran on a slightly different strategy.

As rain intensified, Weug demonstrated her racecraft and quick adaptability. She began posting consistent lap times in the 1:50 range before dipping below the 1:50 barrier, matching the pace of more experienced drivers at the front. When the #15 NGT Racing Porsche pitted, Weug moved up into fourth place by lap 47, and her pace continued to improve as she clocked laps in the 1:48s, gaining significant ground while others cycled through their stops.

A Full Course Yellow was deployed shortly thereafter, and Weug pitted from fourth on lap 50 with 1 hour and 24 minutes remaining. As most of the leading cars also pitted under caution, Benjamin Paque returned to the cockpit for the final stint.

Paque rejoined in fourth place and maintained consistent lap times as the race entered its closing phase. As strategies equalised and competitors completed their final stops, the ART Racing Porsche climbed back into second place with around 30 minutes remaining, holding a comfortable margin of nearly 30 seconds over the chasing pack.

While Paul Meijer in the #99 Porsche remained out of reach at the front, Paque controlled the gap behind to secure second place overall at the chequered flag, completing a clean and well-executed race for the ART Racing trio.

For Weug, the result marked an outstanding start to her GT chapter. Despite limited experience in the car, a new track, and extremely challenging weather conditions, she delivered a very competitive stint that kept the car in podium contention.

"Overall, really positive", she commented. "[It] was my first time in a GT."

Photo credits: Maya Weug

"I was in the second stint, took over the car when we were in P3 and managed to do a good first stint, considering it was also my first time in the rain. I was happy with the stint, I had a good pace", she continued.

"I really enjoyed driving the car in a long race for the first time. It's a very different thing, but I really enjoyed it. So I'm really looking forward to the next race."

"In the end we managed to finish P2, which is a great result and a great start to the season for the whole team. I'm super thankful to be racing with ART Racing this season - they've given me an opportunity that I really, really cannot thank them enough for."

"I can't wait for the next race in Assen, which is in the beginning of June. So looking forward to that and building on from where we started."

The next round is scheduled at Assen, Netherlands, on 6–8 June, where the championship will contest another three-hour race, and where Weug will be aiming to build on an already highly promising debut.