He is a three-times class winner at 24 Hours of Le Mans, and won three Formula 3000 races in 1990.

After this, he signed for the Modena Formula One team for 1991, driving their Lamborghini cars thanks to backing from long-time sponsors LeasePlan.

There he impressed in the rain, running fifth in the last lap before the car ran out of fuel, dropping him to ninth.

The team, in financial difficulties, was unable to build on this success, and van de Poele would not race again that year.

After this, Fondmetal also hit money troubles and withdrew, leaving van de Poele without a drive.Aside from a largely unused capacity as test driver for Tyrrell in 1993, van de Poele has since found considerable success in Touring Cars and sports cars, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1995 and 1996 and the Petit Le Mans in 1998.