Niels wraps up the racing season in style with a double podium

It was all or nothing for Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux driver Niels Langeveld. Heading into the final race weekend of the 2025 season, he faced a considerable points deficit in the battle for the championship. In front of his home crowd at Zandvoort, Niels did exactly what he had to do: give it everything, qualify well, deliver strong races, and ultimately finish on the podium twice. But was it enough?

Starting the weekend fourth in the standings, Niels had lost many points in the second half of the season — due to bad luck, chaotic races, and the coin simply not flipping his way. His championship chances had dwindled, but giving up was never an option. “As long as it’s theoretically possible, we’ll go for it.”

Zandvoort always feels like home for Niels. He was determined to shine one more time in front of his fans — including the 40 guests who experienced the season finale from Porsche’s VIP Hospitality. A fully catered weekend under perfect conditions. Well… almost. Qualifying was hit by a sudden downpour. With no wind to dry the track, water stayed on the surface, and what had been a perfectly prepared session suddenly turned into a lottery.

“In both free practice sessions on Friday, we were constantly in the top 3,” said an upbeat Niels. “For qualifying, we fine-tuned the last details to go for pole position. Everything looked good… until the rain came, and we had to start all over again, searching for the right setup and, most importantly, grip. From that moment on, it was all about being on track at exactly the right time. My first flying lap put me P4. The second, P3. Those became my starting positions for race 2 and race 1. It could have been worse, but in the final run we were just a bit too early on track while it kept drying. Everyone who went out after me had more grip. That cost me pole — by just 0.15 of a second. On the other hand, you never know in those conditions. We wanted to avoid missing out on a time because of yellow or red flags caused by others’ mistakes. In the wet, those happen quickly.”

Porsche Carrera Cup Benelux | Trophy of the Dunes - 2025

Race 1

Niels had a decent getaway: “Not the best, but I held my position. The pace on slicks was strong, and I made a spectacular move around the outside in the Tarzanbocht to take P2. I then closed in on the leader, but my tires gave up. I had pushed so hard in my hunt for victory that degradation set in earlier for me than for the car behind. I had to give up a spot and settle for P3.”

Race 2

This time, Niels started from P4: “The lights went out surprisingly quickly. A few drivers ahead reacted too late, and I immediately went around the outside in turn 1 to grab a place. At Scheivlak, the top 4 gave each other no room at all. It was push and shove, and I decided to play it safe. A little later, a rival made a mistake, and I gained another spot. Then I attacked again, diving down the inside at Tarzan for P2. I closed the gap to the leader — my pace was incredible — but once again, the tires dropped off. I had to abandon the fight for P1 to hold onto second place. That worked out, meaning a double podium. A great way to end the season, even if it wasn’t enough for the championship, as the top 3 in the standings also scored heavily.”

Looking Back

Despite missing out on the title, Niels looks back on 2025 with pride:

“It definitely leaves me hungry for more. I want to thank everyone who supported and sponsored me: the team, my partners; without them, this wouldn’t have been possible! At the same time, I look ahead with strong ambition and the drive to continue what I started this year. But in racing, you never know how things unfold, so I’m keeping all options open!”