# Eric van de Poele

Eric Francis Edouard Ghislain Thérèse van de Poele (French pronunciation:; born 30 September 1961) is a Belgian racing driver and former Formula One driver. He participated in 29 Grands Prix, in 1991 and 1992. He is a three-times class winner at 24 Hours of Le Mans, and won three Formula 3000 races in 1990. Before his Formula One career, he won the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft.

## Driving career

After a difficult 1984 season in French Formula Three, van de Poele then won the Belgian and Benelux Formula Ford titles, also racing in the Belgian Touring Car Championship. He subsequently raced in German Touring Cars Championships, winning the 1987 championship despite not winning a race all season. He also won the 1987 Spa 24 Hours, sharing a car with Didier Theys and Jean-Michel Martin. He also dabbled in British Formula 3. For 1989, he moved up to Formula 3000, finishing fourth, and then runner-up in 1990.
After this, he signed for the Modena Formula One team for 1991, driving their Lamborghini cars thanks to backing from long-time sponsors LeasePlan. He qualified onto the grid at his third attempt, for the 1991 San Marino Grand Prix. There he impressed in the rain, running fifth in the last lap before the car ran out of fuel, dropping him to ninth. The team, in financial difficulties, was unable to build on this success, and van de Poele would not race again that year.
He then signed for Brabham in 1992, but the team were low on money. He qualified for the opening South African Grand Prix, finishing 13th, but did not manage to qualify the outdated car again. He frequently matched team-mate Damon Hill in the other Brabham, however. For the Hungarian Grand Prix he switched to the promising Fondmetal team. He qualified the car at the first attempt, only to spin out. He then started an excellent 15th for the Belgian Grand Prix, finishing 10th, and qualified again for the Italian Grand Prix, only for the clutch to break. After this, Fondmetal also hit money troubles and withdrew, leaving van de Poele without a drive.
Aside from a largely unused capacity as test driver for Tyrrell in 1993, van de Poele has since found considerable success in Touring Cars and sports cars, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1995 and 1996 and the Petit Le Mans in 1998. He has also added to his 1987 win in the Spa 24 Hours with four more wins in 1998, 2005, 2006 and 2008, giving him the record of five wins in the event. In 2008, van de Poele competed in the Rolex Sports Car Series.

## Racing record
### Complete German Formula Three results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Pts | Ref |
| 1987 | Hartge Motorsport | VW | A | NÜR 12 | AVU DNS | ZOL 8 | HOC 6 | ÖST | SIE | NÜR 5 | NÜR 14 | ZOL 3 | 11th | 29 | |

### Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1987 | Zakspeed BMW Team | BMW M3 | HOC 2 | ZOL 10 | NÜR 4 | AVU 4 | MFA 8 | NOR 6 | NÜR 8 | WUN 3 | DIE 2 | SAL 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 127 |
| 1988 | BMW M Team Linder | BMW M3 Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | BRN 1 | BRN 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | SAL 1 | SAL 2 | HUN 1 | HUN 2 | HOC 1 6 | HOC 2 Ret | 34th | 13 |
| 1989 | BMW Faltz Essen | BMW M3 Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 15 | NOR 2 DNS | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | | | 39th | 4 |
| 1990 | BMW M Team Schnitzer | BMW M3 Sport Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | HOC 1 15 | HOC 2 10 | | | 32nd | 1 |
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### Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1989 | Players/GA Motorsports/Colt Racing | Lola T89/50 | Cosworth | SIL 6 | VAL 3 | PAU Ret | JER 4 | PER Ret | BRH Ret | BIR 14 | SPA 4 | BUG 2 | DIJ 5 | | 5th | 19 |
| 1990 | GA Motorsport | Reynard 90D | Cosworth | DON 6 | SIL 5 | PAU 1 | JER 9 | MNZ 9 | PER Ret | HOC Ret | BRH Ret | BIR 1 | BUG 10 | NOG 1 | 2nd | 30 |
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### Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Pts |
| 1991 | Modena Team SpA | Lambo 291 | Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12 | USA DNPQ | BRA DNPQ | SMR 9† | MON DNPQ | CAN DNPQ | MEX DNPQ | FRA DNPQ | GBR DNPQ | GER DNQ | HUN DNQ | BEL DNQ | ITA DNQ | POR DNQ | ESP DNQ | JPN DNQ | AUS DNQ | NC | 0 |
| 1992 | Motor Racing Developments | Brabham BT60B | Judd GV 3.5 V10 | RSA 13 | MEX DNQ | BRA DNQ | ESP DNQ | SMR DNQ | MON DNQ | CAN DNQ | FRA DNQ | GBR DNQ | GER DNQ | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1992 | Fondmetal | Fondmetal GR02 | Ford HBA5 3.5 V8 | | | | | | | | | | | HUN Ret | BEL 10 | ITA Ret | POR | JPN | AUS | NC | 0 |
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† Driver did not finish the race, but were still classified as they completed 90% of the race distance.

### Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1994 | Old Spice Nissan Racing | Nissan Primera eGT | THR 1 13 | BRH 1 DNS | BRH 2 DNS | SNE 1 9 | SIL 1 13 | SIL 2 12 | OUL 1 14 | DON 1 17 | DON 2 13 | BRH 1 14 | BRH 2 12 | SIL 1 DNS | KNO 1 | KNO 2 | OUL 1 | BRH 1 | BRH 2 | SIL 1 | SIL 2 | DON 1 | DON 2 | 22nd | 2 |
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### Complete Spanish Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Pts |
| 1995 | Team Repsol Nissan | Nissan Primera | JER 1 3 | JER 2 Ret | JAR 1 2 | JAR 2 8 | BAR 1 2 | BAR 2 1 | EST 1 4 | EST 2 2 | ALB 1 Ret | ALB 2 5 | CAL 1 1 | CAL 2 4 | ALB 1 3 | ALB 2 10 | JER 1 4 | JER 2 4 | BAR 1 1 | BAR 2 1 | JAR 1 | JAR 2 | 3rd | 204 |
| 1996 | Team Repsol Nissan | Nissan Primera | JAR 1 5 | JAR 2 1 | ALB 1 4 | ALB 2 2 | BAR 1 4 | BAR 2 Ret | EST 1 9 | EST 2 7 | CAL 1 4 | CAL 2 8 | JER 1 3 | JER 2 2 | JAR 1 Ret | JAR 2 8 | BAR 1 7 | BAR 2 1 | | | | | 5th | 139 |
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### 24 Hours of Spa results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1985 | Hoflijk Sport Team | Guy Hendrickx Freek Staal | Opel Manta GTE | Div.2 | | DNF | DNF |
| 1986 | CiBiEmme Sport | Jean-Michel Martin Pascal Witmeur | BMW 635 CSi | Div.3 | 489 | DNF | DNF |
| 1987 | Waterloo Motors | Jean-Michel Martin Didier Theys | BMW M3 | Div.2 | 481 | 1st | 1st |
| 1988 | BMW Motorsport | Harald Grohs Markus Oestreich | BMW M3 | Div.2 | 477 | 9th | 5th |
| 1991 | Bastos Castrol Team Bigazzi | Emanuele Pirro Roberto Ravaglia | BMW M3 | Div.2 | | DNF | DNF |
| 1992 | BMW Fina Bastos Team Bigazzi | Altfrid Heger Joachim Winkelhock | BMW M3 | DTM | 512 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 1993 | Toyota Racing UK | Julian Bailey Will Hoy | Toyota Carina E GTi | FISA 2L | 271 | 23rd | 3rd |
| 1995 | Opel Team Belgium | Jean-François Hemroulle Pierre-Alain Thibaut | Opel Vectra | ST | | DNF | DNF |
| 1996 | Opel Team Belgium | Alain Cudini Pierre-Alain Thibaut | Opel Vectra GT | ST | | DNF | DNF |
| 1997 | Ecurie Toison d'Or | Olivier Marechal Pascal Witmeur | BMW 318 is | ST | 411 | 27th | 3rd |
| 1998 | BMW Fina Bastos Team | Alain Cudini Marc Duez | BMW 320i | SP | 480 | 1st | 1st |
| 2000 | Peugeot Team Belgique Luxembourg | Vincent Radermecker Jeffrey van Hooydonk | Peugeot 306 GTI | SP | | DNF | DNF |
| 2001 | Team Rafanelli | Martial Chouvel Emanuele Naspetti Philippe Steveny | Ferrari 550 Maranello | GT | 150 | DNF | DNF |
| 2002 | Lister Storm Racing | Jamie Campbell-Walter Nicolaus Springer Andy Wallace | Lister Storm GTM | GT | 424 | DQ | DQ |
| 2003 | Konrad Motorsport | Franz Konrad Walter Lechner Jr. Toni Seiler | Saleen S7-R | GT | 74 | DNF | DNF |
| 2004 | Vitaphone Racing | Uwe Alzen Michael Bartels Franz Konrad | Saleen S7-R | GT | 78 | DNF | DNF |
| 2005 | Vitaphone Racing | Michael Bartels Timo Scheider | Maserati MC12 GT1 | GT1 | 576 | 1st | 1st |
| 2006 | Vitaphone Racing | Andrea Bertolini Michael Bartels | Maserati MC12 GT1 | GT1 | 589 | 1st | 1st |
| 2007 | Vitaphone Racing | Michael Bartels Thomas Biagi Pedro Lamy | Maserati MC12 GT1 | GT1 | 532 | 2nd | 2nd |
| 2008 | Vitaphone Racing | Michael Bartels Andrea Bertolini Stéphane Sarrazin | Maserati MC12 GT1 | GT1 | 577 | 1st | 1st |
| 2009 | Vitaphone Racing | Miguel Ramos Pedro Lamy Alex Müller | Maserati MC12 GT1 | GT1 | 419 | DNF | DNF |
| 2010 | AF Corse ALD Team Vitaphone Vitaphone Racing | Gianmaria Bruni Bert Longin Toni Vilander | Ferrari F430 GTE | GT2 | 295 | DNF | DNF |
| 2011 | Vita4One | Jean-Karl Vernay Nico Verdonck | Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 | GT3 Pro | 251 | DNF | DNF |
| 2012 | Boutsen Ginion Racing | Jack Clarke Edouard Mondron Nico Verdonck | McLaren MP4-12C GT3 | GT3 Pro-Am | 124 | DNF | DNF |
| 2015 | BMW Racing Against Cancer | Marc Duez Jean-Michel Martin Pascal Witmeur | BMW Z4 GT3 | Pro-Am Cup | 42 | DNF | DNF |

### 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1992 | Peugeot Talbot Sport | Karl Wendlinger Alain Ferté | Peugeot 905 Evo 1B | C1 | 208 | DNF | DNF |
| 1994 | Clayton Cunningham Racing | Paul Gentilozzi Shunji Kasuya | Nissan 300ZX Turbo | IMSA GTS | 25 | DNF | DNF |
| 1995 | Courage Compétition | Olivier Beretta Matiaz Tomlje | Courage C41-Chevrolet | WSC | - | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1996 | Racing for Belgium Team Scandia | Marc Goossens Éric Bachelart | Ferrari 333 SP | WSC | 208 | DNF | DNF |
| 1997 | Nissan Motorsport TWR | Riccardo Patrese Aguri Suzuki | Nissan R390 GT1 | GT1 | 121 | DNF | DNF |
| 1998 | Doyle-Risi Racing | Wayne Taylor Fermín Vélez | Ferrari 333 SP | LMP1 | 332 | 8th | 1st |
| 1999 | Nissan Motorsport | Masami Kageyama Aguri Suzuki | Nissan R391 | LMP | - | DNS | DNS |
| 2000 | Team Cadillac | Wayne Taylor Max Angelelli | Cadillac Northstar LMP | LMP900 | 287 | 22nd | 12th |
| 2001 | Team Bentley | Andy Wallace Butch Leitzinger | Bentley EXP Speed 8 | LMGTP | 306 | 3rd | 1st |
| 2002 | Team Bentley | Andy Wallace Butch Leitzinger | Bentley EXP Speed 8 | LMGTP | 362 | 4th | 1st |
| 2008 | Risi Competizione Krohn Racing | Tracy Krohn Niclas Jönsson | Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 12 | DNF | DNF |
| 2009 | Risi Competizione Krohn Racing | Tracy Krohn Niclas Jönsson | Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 323 | 22nd | 3rd |
| 2010 | Risi Competizione Krohn Racing | Tracy Krohn Niclas Jönsson | Ferrari F430 GT2 | GT2 | 197 | DNF | DNF |
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### 24 Hours of Nürburgring results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1987 | Zakspeed BMW-Team | Marc Hessel Karl Senne | BMW M3 | 8 | 119 | 19th | 5th |
| 1988 | BMW Motorsport GmbH | Marc Duez Eddy Joosen | BMW M3 | 9 | 40 | DNF | DNF |
| 1989 | BMW Fina | Marc Duez Jean-Michel Martin | BMW M3 | 2 | 70 | DNF | DNF |
| 2006 | Maserati SPA | Andrea Bertolini Michael Bartels Gianni Giudici | Maserati Gransport Light GT3 | E1XP | 26 | DNF | DNF |

### 24 Hours of Zolder results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 2007 | Gravity International Racing | Christophe Bouchut Stéphane Lémeret Vincent Radermecker | Mosler MT900 R GT3 | 1 | | DNF | DNF |

### Complete Grand Prix Masters results

(key) Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap.
| Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 2006 | Team Golden Palace | Delta Motorsport GPM | Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 | QAT 3 | ITA C | GBR 2 | MAL C | RSA C |
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