Crewe, 24 February 2020 Bentley customer teams will compete in the world-renowned GT3 championships. At the same time, Bentley’s manufacturer-sponsored team – Bentley M-Sport Team will challenge the world-renowned Intercontinental GT Challenge (Intercontinental GT Challenge) GT3 competition.
Since 2013, Bentley M-Sport Team has worked closely with Bentley Motorsport to develop and build the Bentley Continental GT3 racing car, and jointly operate a team of honorable achievements. In order to meet the racing needs of customer teams in the 2020 season, the team based in Cumbria, England will not only provide high-quality services to the Bentley team, but also face five rounds of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Championship-winning team K-PAX Racing has won impressive results in two seasons of Bentley racing in the United States. In the 2020 season, the team will take two new Continental GT3 racing cars across the Atlantic Ocean to participate in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup), striving to gain glory on Europe’s top circuits.
Bentley factory-sponsored team drivers will drive two new green-painted Continental GT3 cars, participate in the full Intercontinental GT Challenge, and provide support to customer teams. Maxime Soulet (Belgium) returns to Team Bentley M-Sport for his sixth season, joining Jordan Pepper (South Africa) and Jules Gounon (France), who have raced for Bentley since 2018. The trio will compete with Andy Soucek (Spain), Alvaro Parente (Portugal) and Rodrigo Baptista (Brazil) on behalf of customer team K-PAX Racing.
Seb Morris (UK) won the British GT Championship in the first generation Continental GT3, winning the 24 Hours of Spa and the Suzuka 10 Hours ) and impressed with his driving skills, he was promoted to the driver position of the factory-sponsored team. Al Buncombe (UK) joins the full-time factory sponsored team following a strong 2019 season. Additionally, Olly Jarvis (UK), who raced for Bentley in 2017, will return to the team this season during the Intercontinental GT Challenge due to a busy work schedule.
The Bentley Motorsport Academy, jointly run by Bentley Motorsport and Parker Racing, officially launched in 2020 to select and train the next generation of factory-sponsored team drivers. Currently, the academy is testing and evaluating the inaugural drivers.
As more information about the participation of customer team drivers is announced, Bentley Motorsports will make every effort to ensure comprehensive race services and increase the development and testing of the new Continental GT3 racing car.
Dr Werner Tietz, Member of the Bentley Motors Board of Directors responsible for Engineering, said: “The second generation of the Continental GT3 has been an impressive success. We are now focused on expanding our team and offering more customer drivers the opportunity to experience Bentley’s extraordinary performance. In addition, We also look forward to competing with our partners and new client drivers in major motorsport events.”
Paul Williams, Director of Bentley Motorsports, said: “We have always maintained a prudent and sustainable approach to optimize the Bentley Motorsports program to ensure the mutual interests of new and existing customer drivers. We are very honored to see This season, Bentley M-Sport Team has played a key role in the development of customer teams and the development of the new Continental GT3 car, while preparing for the Bathurst 12 Hours (Bathurst 12 Hours) Hour) customized the test schedule and provided strong support.”
Bullitt Racing has been confirmed for the Le Mans Cup; Parker Racing returns to the British GT Championship and Runs Bentley Motorsport Academy; K-PAX Racing to debut in GT World Challenge Europe; Bentley Team M-Sport continues in Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Testimonials:
Bentley factory sponsor Maxime Soulet said: “Bentley means a lot to me. 2020 is my fifth year here and an important year for the Bentley brand and for Bentley customers. After playing for two seasons, it is an honor to be able to fight alongside him in the new season and prepare for the European competition with all our strength.”
Seb Morris, Bentley Manufactory Sponsor, said: “I was a Bentley customer driver and then worked my way up to Manufactory Sponsorship. In 2016 I made my British GT debut with Parker Racing in a Bentley Continental GT3 and won the title I then raced for the same team in the Blancpain GT Seires and the British GT Series as a driver for the JRM team. I was selected for the 2019 24 Hours of Spa with the Bentley Manufactures Sponsored Team. Endurance races and the Suzuka 10 Hours. As a mature manufacturer-sponsored driver, I am full of confidence in the 2020 season. The Bentley Motorsports program is committed to cultivating excellent drivers, and I am looking forward to embarking on the ‘Bentley Boy’ (Bentley Boy) career journey.”
Jim Haughey, Team Principal of K-PAX Racing, said: “The K-PAX Racing team has always been focused on competing in the United States and has achieved great results. I am very much looking forward to the team’s galloping in the enduro arena. Now, we will take on the GT world Challenge, and compete with other teams on the famous European circuits. With the team’s senior experience and close cooperation with Bentley Motorsports, we have the opportunity to drive two professional-level cars to start a new journey in the 2020 season .”
