Australian youngsters Nick McBride and Nick Foster have secured strong top 10 results on the international stage at last weekend’s joint Porsche Carrera Cup Italy/France round at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, while Marc Cini also claimed a top 10 result in Class B.

McBride and Foster started ninth and tenth on the grid, respectively; the latter demoted five grid positions due to an infringement in practice.

Dry practice and qualifying sessions throughout the weekend were followed by heavy rain before and during the 45 minute Carrera Cup race.

McBride was the star Australian, finishing eighth after 15 laps, two places ahead of Foster in 10th.

“Spa-Francorchamps turned on the weather; it was very wet out there today. I had a little contact on lap one and drove with bent steering throughout the race. I drove safe and brought it home in tenth. The five-grid spot penalty didn’t help but it was an awesome circuit and a tough old lap in the wet. I was very happy with my pace, especially in qualifying,” said Foster.

Fellow Australian Marc Cini placed 30th outright from 36 entries and 10th in Class B, one place behind former Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Australia racer, Yuey Tan, in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia guest entry.

Frenchman Stefan Palette ultimately won in Belgium from Carrera Cup Asia points leader, New Zealander Chris Van Der Drift, who was awarded the drive for his current top standings in the Asian championship.

Pole-sitter Mathieu Jaminet finished third from Vincent Beltoise, Stefano Colombo – the best Italian driver – Riccardo Agostini, Robin Hansson, McBride, Mattia Drudi and Foster in 10th.

The Australian trio will now return home ahead of the fifth Porsche Carrera Cup Australia round at Sydney Motorsport Park on August 21-23, 2015.

Race results
1. Steven Palette (Martinet by Almeras) 15 laps
2. Chris Van der Drift (Team Carrera Asia) -6.893
3. Mathieu Jaminet (Racing Technology) -10.396
4. Vincent Beltoise (Sainteloc) -11.482
5. Stefano Colombo (LEM Racing – Centri Porsche di Milano) -15.637
6. Riccardo Agostini (Antonelli Motorsport – Centro Porsche Padova) -18.361
7. Robin Hansson (Fragus Motorsport) -22.709
8. Nick McBride (Martinet Team Pro GT) -23.231
9. Mattia Drudi (Dinamic Motorsport – Centro Porsche Bologna) -24.217
10. Nick Foster (Martinet by Almeras) -25.902
29. Yuey Tan (Team Carrera Cup Asia) -1:50.167
30. Marc Cini (Racing Technology) -1:54.798