Belgium performing below its high standard

Belgium has traditionally been a powerhouse of motorsport, having produced a pool of talented drivers throughout the history of racing, and iconic circuits like Spa-Francorchamps (pictured) and Zolder, despite not having a motor industry to speak of.

From Camille Jenatzy, the winner of the 1903 Gordon Bennett Trophy, through to grand prix winners Jacky Ickx and Thierry Boutsen, and Le Mans victors Olivier Gendebien and Lucien Bianchi, Belgians have competed successfully at the highest level ever since racing began seriously.

However, Bertrand Baguette's Formula Renault 3.5 crown last year was the most significant achievement for a Belgian driver since Bertrand Gachot's Le Mans victory in 1991. Such a lack of recent success has contributed to a dismal 26th place in the Castrol Nations Rankings, two places below bitter rival the Netherlands.

Currently the highest-placed Belgian in the Castrol Rankings is Jerome D'Ambrosio, who has fallen almost 100 places this year to 168th, despite recently taking his first GP2 Series victory at Monaco.

The DAMS driver's position drop has been largely due to a disappointing GP2 Asia campaign as he failed to get anywhere near his runner-up spot in the 2009 standings. But an inconsistent start to the season has not helped either.

Thirteen places behind D'Ambrosio is Baguette, who has also had a major fall since the turn of the year. After winning Formula Renault 3.5 crown last year - the first international single-seater title for a Belgian since Ickx's European F2 crown in 1967 - his Castrol Rankings position has suffered.

His graduation to the IndyCar Series - in which he lies 25th overall - came two races late, and he would probably be around 40 places higher than his 181st position - and above D'Ambrosio - had he competed at Sao Paulo and St Petersburg.

The Conquest Racing driver (pictured) still has plenty of races to make up ground, and unless D'Ambrosio can begin to mount a title challenge in GP2, is likely to end the year ahead of his rival.

Third among his country's drivers is another single-seater man, Laurens Vanthoor. After winning last year's German F3 Cup, the teenager graduated to the Euro Series this season with the Signature team.

A maiden podium finish came his way at Valencia and helped him halt what had been a general slide in the Castrol Rankings. He lies 237th and should make further gains this year.

Fourth among the Belgians is veteran Bert Longin, who has made a solid start to the GT1 World Championship in his Triple H Maserati. Being partnered with former FIA GT Champion Matteo Bobbi has helped the 44-year-old, who lies in 266th place.

Only two more Belgians lie inside the top 400 of the Castrol Rankings. They are Anthony Kumpen and Bas Leinders, two drivers with very different backgrounds, but whose career paths now find themselves converging in international GT racing.

Kumpen has raced almost his entire career in GTs, winning five Belgian titles and winning a handful of races in the FIA GT Championship. He too has fallen almost 100 places since the start of the year and lies 368th, courtesy of starting one of the GT1 World Championship races so far.

Leinders, meanwhile, has won single-seater titles in UK Formula Ford and German Formula 3 and spent time as an F1 test driver for both Minardi and Jordan.

He is six places behind Kumpen and gained 66 spots this week courtesy of qualifying on the front row in class at the Le Mans 24 Hours. His GT1 victory at the Spa LMS race in May sparked a massive rise, Leinders having been 579th before that race.