Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe – Matisse Lismont joins Comtoyou Racing in GT3 for 2024
One season in the Fun Cup, one season combining the Belcar Endurance Championship and the Fun Cup and… that is all. It did not take Matisse Lismont more than two years to make a name for himself in the world of Belgian motorsport! The Louvain native, who celebrates his 19th birthday on Wednesday 10 January 2024, can proudly announce his programme for the 2024 season: he will contest the entire prestigious Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS at the wheel of one of Comtoyou Racing’s brand new Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 cars.
“I have made very considerable progress in my first two seasons in motorsport,” he confides. “My best memory to date is our victory in the TA class during the 24 Hours of Zolder in a BMW M2 CS Racing. At the end of 2023, there was a desire to move up a level and several options were considered. Joining Comtoyou Racing was an unmissable opportunity!”
The Belgian team is an international benchmark and is preparing to open a new chapter in its history next year by partnering Aston Martin Racing in GT3. “Comtoyou Racing has always sought to develop young Belgian talent,” recalls Team Manager François Verbist. “We had noticed Matisse’s performance and gave him a test in a GT3 car at Motorland Aragon. He really blew us away! His speed is undeniable, he has got a good head on his shoulders, he speaks three languages and he is surprisingly mature. I am convinced that he is going to surprise a great many people in the coming years, so we are delighted to be able to welcome him to our team.”
The young driver, whose first name was inspired by the French painter Henri Matisse, is nevertheless very humble when it comes to his ambitions. “Even though I quickly felt comfortable at the wheel of a GT3 car, much more so than I had imagined, I know that the step I have to take is a very high one,” he insists. “So I see my first campaign in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe as one of learning. In this respect, I will be able to count on Julien Schroyen as my personal coach, and I have already seen how useful his experience is to me. With the right support and as part of a top team, I am looking forward to progressing as quickly as possible!”
Competing in both the Sprint Cup and the Endurance Cup of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, Matisse will be taking part in ten GT3 events. The highlight will be the centenary edition of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa on 29 and 30 June. “This race is a dream for every Belgian driver,” he smiles. “So to be at the start of this historic event with a Belgian team will certainly be an emotional experience.”
To complete his apprenticeship and to accumulate race mileage, Matisse Lismont will also take part in four Belgian Fun Cup events, including the 25 Hours held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, as part of the Clubsport structure. It is a wonderful programme for a driver who intends to make a name for himself on the international scene over the next few years!
