VALS' HOME RUN Conditions: Cool, Dry, Cloudy Newly crowned FIA Sportscar Champions, Racing For Holland, continued their run of pole positions by claiming their fourth consecutive pole to head the competition once more at Spa Francorchamps this afternoon. Antwerp resident Val Hillebrand set the fastest time of the day and stopped the clocks at 2m07.704s just over a tenth ahead of recent Formula 3000 runner up Sebastien Bourdais in the Pescarolo Sport Courage C60 Peugeot. Hillebrand, who at just 21 years of age becomes one of the youngest ever FIA champions, just held off the bespectacled Frenchman and was justifiably ebullient as he pulled in to Parc Ferme after the session. "That was a tough one," said the half-Belgian, half-Dutch racer. " I had no contact with the pits as I left my ear piece out, so I was not sure if I was still on pole or not but it was a nice battle with Sebastien who is a formidable opponent." Jan Lammers was equally pleased with his Dutch charge and paid a glowing tribute to both Val and his team. "I have been involved with Val since he was 16 years of age and he has now proved that our faith in him is justified," he said. "The team have also been magnificent this year and have worked so hard for this. They deserve a lot of the credit for this success and now we can have a chance to say thanks to them with what I am sure will be a great race tomorrow because these cars are so spectacular on this great track." A place on the front row for the Pescarolo Courage was received warmly by team principal Henri Pescarolo who oversaw his team returning to form after being outpaced by the Dome in the last two races. Sebastien Bourdais however was left frustrated at first due to a red flag and then when Beppe Gabbiani's stopped the session after crashing at Les Combes, and then again when the Simpson Engineering Riley & Scott badly baulked the green machine. " It was not a polite move by that car and it cost me a lot of time but the red flag was also a problem because I was just ready to start a run on new tyres," said the 23 year old Frenchman. "Still, the car felt very good today and I think we will make it hard for the Dome guys tomorrow." A creditable third on the grid was the ever improving R&M Judd of Mauro Baldi and Vincenzo Sospiri. It was Baldi, who has previously won the Spa 1000kms three times, who set the time and the wily Italian veteran showed that he has lost none of his sparkle by placing the car on the inside of the second row. "The car is improving race by race and we are understanding more about the new aerodynamic modifications that we made before we came here, so we will give the front two cars a good race tomorrow." Gianmaria Bruni hustled his GMS Durango around the 4.329 mile track in spectacular style and was duly rewarded with 4th place on the grid. The former British F3 frontrunner is getting to grips with sportscars very quickly and was less than a second behind the R&M Judd of Mauro Baldi. Team mate Alessandro Battaglin, who is having his first experience of Spa will partner him in the car for the race tomorrow afternoon. The second of the Racing For Holland run Dome's raced by Beppe Gabbiani and Bolivia's Felipe Ortiz were the last of the SR1 runners after Gabbiani crashed spectacularly at Les Combes after just ten minutes of the session. The ex Osella Grand Prix racer lost the back end of his car and ricoched off the barriers causing damage to the right handside of the S101. The car will however be ready for tomorrow morning's warm up session and the Italian is determind to make amends come the race tomorrow afternoon. Bob Berridge and reigning BTCC champion Jason Plato line up in fifth place with Plato getting to grips with both the Judd powered Lola B98/10 and the Spa circuit, which he was driving for the first time. "I had only done nine laps before qualifying so we have a lot of work to do yet," he said. "The car is great to drive with plenty of power and I'm really enjoying myself, but really we are running our own race and aiming for a podium which would be a great result considering the opposition." SR2 was once again the domain of the Italian Lucchini squad with Piergiuseppe Peroni and Mirko Savoldi boosting their title chances with a third consecutive pole position. "This is a great way for the weekend to start because we are very motivated to take another win and seal the championship," said Peroni, who has been trying to win the title since 1998 when he made his Championship debut. Peroni and Savoldi tie with Britain's Team Jota pairing of Sam Hignett and John Stack at the top of the points table going in to the final race but with the second Lucchini of Gianni Collini and Fabio Mancini also in the hunt and qualifying third, a three way fight is set to be played out tomorrow afternoon. The Team Jota Pilbeam Nissan of John Stack and Sam Hignett starts in 4th place after setting the pace early in the qualifying session. Disaster struck though for the Kent based team when Hignett got stuck in gear and had to park the car in his pit halfway through the qualifying period. "Such a shame," said the bespectacled British racer, "because I was primed for a mega lap and I am sure that would have put us right up there. But better to have it happen now rather than in the race." Other British cars had contrasting fortunes with Team Sovereign continuing their good form by qualifying sixth in SR2 with Mike Millard once again been partnered by Phil Armour for the weekend. John Christie's JCI Developments team had the excrutiating task of watching the session tick by without them when their Tampolli Opel's starter motor failed just as it was about to leave it's pit. Michael Mallock and Rob Croydon will be looking to banish all their misfortune in the race tomorrow when they will start from the back of the 17 car grid. The all Belgian line up of David Sterckx/Frederic Bouvy and Christophe Geoffroy will start their home race 7th in SR2 after suffering engine problems in the session with their PiR Competition Debora Nissan. TOP TEN TIMES 1. Jan Lammers/Val Hillebrand Racing For Holland Dome S101 Judd 2m07.704s 2. Jean Christophe Boullion/Sebastien Bourdais Pescarolo Sport Courage C60 Peugeot 2m07.841s 3. Mauro Baldi/Vincenzo Sospiri R&M Judd 2m09.749s 4. Gianmaria Bruni/ Alessandro Battaglin Durango GMS Judd 2m10.874s 5. Bob Berridge/Jason Plato BBR Lola B98/10 2m 11.827s 6. Piergiuseppe Peroni/ Mirko Savoldi Lucchini Alfa Romeo 2m15.382s 7. Thed Bjork/Niklas Loven SRTS Lola Nissan 2m15.438s 8. Gianni Collini/Fabio Mancini Lucchini Alfa Romeo 2m16.244s 9. John Stack/Sam Hignett Team Jota Pilbeam Nissan 2m17.273s 10. Raniere Randaccio/Leonardo Maddalena 2m21.780s