Double joy at Spa-Francorchamps for Ellis and Clement

Ellis admitted he was ‘delighted’ with the result, especially as it was on a new track.

It was the team’s first visit to the circuit but they were quick to learn their way around.

They completed their qualifying in first place to start the first 11-lap race from pole position.

But as the lights went out it was rivals Streuer/Kolsch who shot off the line to establish the lead from Ellis/Clement.

However, by the end of the lap Ellis/Clement had the race lead and as the race unfolded they began to pull a gap on the pursuing pack.

Going into the final few laps, current World champions Schlosser/Fries began to reduce the gap to the leaders.

However, it was too little too late and Ellis/Clement crossed the finish line for the win, successful by a margin of 1.673s ahead of Schlosser/Fries.

They also set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 2m 34.74s.

Starting race two on Sunday morning from pole position once more, it was Schlosser/Fries that took the lead at the start.

Streuer/Kolsch were in second with Ellis/Clement hot on their heels in third position.

On lap two the Anglo-French pair had moved up into second place and by lap four they had taken the lead in the race.

But there were more twists to come as Schlosser/Fries fought back and retook the lead on lap eight of 11 – and once in front they began to pull away.

But Ellis/Clement were not content to settle for second place and fought back to reclaim the lead on the penultimate lap which they held to cross the finish line for their second win of the weekend just 0.3s ahead of their rivals.

Ellis said: “We are delighted to get the double win here in Belgium especially on HM Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee weekend.”

The points accrued from Belgium extend their championship lead to 14 points over Schlosser/Fries ahead of the next round at the Pannonia Ring in Hungary on June 17.