Race - Racing Bentley

Bentley's new Continental GT3 race car will make its race debut at the 2013 Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi on 13^th December 2013. This will mark Bentley's return to motorsport ten years after its victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003.

Since the GT3's stunning debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, the new race car has been spotted testing at tracks across Europe.

Bentley's Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush, commented: "The car has performed extremely well so far, and has matched or exceeded our simulations in every respect. With 3000 km of testing completed already, the team is very pleased with progress and we're gaining confidence in our package. We're all looking forward to the Gulf 12 Hours in December and can't wait to run the car against the competition for the first time in its first test race."

Powered by a race-prepared and dry-sump version of Bentley's road-going 4 litre twin-turbo V8 producing up to 600 bhp, testing and development of the beast is being run by a specialist team comprising engineers both from Bentley and the Continental GT3 Technical Partner, M-Sport Ltd.

Managed from a dedicated motorsport facility base at the Bentley factory, the car is being run by M-Sport in preparation for a full entry in the 2014 FIA Blancpain Series as Team M-Sport Bentley.

Here’s the thing. Remember Kris Meeke drove a Bentley at Sweet Lamb last year for Top Gear? Makes you wonder if Malcolm has been measuring up the car for a sumpguard.