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Sascha Lenz ends four-year wait for victory at Zolder
Sascha Lenz secured his first Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship win in four years during the opening day at Zolder.
By Michael de Vries - 2026-09-12T17:12:00.000Z - 3 min read
The Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship delivered high-intensity action at Circuit Zolder on Saturday, highlighted by Sascha Lenz breaking a four-year victory drought. The German driver converted a strong Race 2 performance into an emotional win, rebounding from a difficult start to the opening contest of the weekend. His triumph arrived after Norbert Kiss dominated the first race from pole position to claim his 13th victory of the season in dominant style.
Saturday morning began with Kiss setting the standard at the front of the grid. The provisional points leader maintained his advantage through the opening lap of Race 1 and managed a comfortable gap until the checkered flag. Speaking after his triumph, Kiss noted the unique challenges of the Belgian circuit, including managing GPS signals around the track's bridges. Behind him, Antonio Albacete and Jochen Hahn completed the podium positions, while Kiss added a fourth-place finish in Race 2 to further strengthen his bid for a record-extending eighth title.
For Lenz, the opening race offered little immediate comfort. The German driver slipped down the order to seventh place after running wide through the gravel trap exiting the first corner during a congested battle for track position. Early contact also disrupted the races of other notable competitors, including Steffi Halm, who finished ninth in the first encounter before recovering to seventh in the afternoon event.
Reflecting on his turnaround in Race 2, Lenz explained how a clean start and cooperative racing helped him seize control. René Reinert aided his progress through the opening sequence before Lenz claimed the lead on the inside line. The error-free run brought a welcome reward for his mechanics, who worked diligently to repair heavy damage sustained during the morning chaos. Reinert ultimately crossed the line second, ahead of Hahn.
The Chrome category provided its own narrative of dominance through John Newell. Following his breakthrough victory in the class at Autodrom Most last month, Newell doubled down with two consecutive wins at Zolder. The British driver triumphed in Race 1 ahead of championship rival Mark Taylor and Jonathan André, before leading an all-British podium lockout in Race 2 where Taylor secured second and Luke Garrett finished third.
Newell admitted to a slow start in the opening encounter before executing a decisive maneuver on Taylor into a tight right-hander. While he acknowledged falling for a dummy move by Hahn during the afternoon race, his pace remained untouchable within his class. The competitive field continued to evaluate the performance of Goodyear's new-for-2026 tyre, which incorporates sixty per cent sustainable materials across the grid.
Action at Circuit Zolder resumes on Sunday with a morning warm-up session followed by three qualifying blocks to determine the grid for the remaining races. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for the Goodyear Wingfoot Award via Instagram during Race 4 as the fifth round of the championship heads toward its conclusion.