The FIM World Endurance Championship visits Belgium this weekend for the fourth round of the seven race series. The Zolder 6 Hour race will be the first World Endurance Championship race in Belgium since 2001. Before then there had been an international endurance race held in the country almost every year since 1975 (the exceptions were 1979 and 1990), with the 24 Heures De Liege at Spa Francorchamps becoming one of the most popular fixtures in the calendar with competitors and spectators alike. Zolder circuit has a long and prestigious history in motorsport but this will be the first visit to the circuit for most of the competitors so extra track sessions have been arranged for the 51 teams who have entered the 6 hour race. STEPHANE MERTENS’ ENDURANCE FINALE The Zolder 6 Hour is expected to be the final endurance race for one of Belgium’s motorcycle racing legends. Double World Endurance Champion Stephane Mertens has been competing for over 26 years, racking up 12 World Endurance race victories, as well as 11 race wins and 46 podium finishes in World Superbikes, two BMW BoxerCup championships and many other notable results. Mertens will race the Van Zon Honda CBR1000RR which qualified in second place at the Assen 500 earlier this year, partnering Michael Schulten and Werner Daemen and bringing his local circuit knowledge and vast endurance experience to an already competitive team. Hugely popular with his fellow countrymen and all followers of endurance racing, everyone at the Zolder 6 Hour will be hoping Mertens bows out with a result to remember. THE RACE GOES ON”¦ Only two points separate second (Yamaha Austria) and third (Kawasaki Bolliger) places in the championship standings; a good result at Zolder could see either of these teams closing significantly on leaders Suzuki Castrol. The Suzuki team have a 39 point advantage but there are still 125 points up for grabs this year, and the Zolder track is as unknown to them as it is to their rivals.