Raceboy
30-01-2002, 19:13
Bentley Motors has confirmed that the line-up of 'Bentley Boys' Andy Wallace, Butch Leitzinger and Eric van de Poele will be back at the wheel of the Bentley EXP Speed 8 for this year's assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Bentley Motors chairman elect Franz-Josef Paefgen confirmed the decision in a statement issued from the company's historic Crewe headquarters - and also revealed that a new engine unit will power the sole EXP Speed 8 in this year's event.
"It will be good to have the Le Mans class winning team back in the Bentley EXP Speed 8," he said, "2002 will be a very important development year for Team Bentley as we will have the new Bentley engine in the race car for the first time.
"I can confirm that the powerplant will be a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged, direct injection engine, which will be unique to Bentley and developed in close co-operation with Audi.
"As the engine will not be ready for testing in the car until March, however, we will have a single entry at Le Mans for 2002, but we plan to carry out extensive testing throughout the rest of this year with the possibility of an additional race later in the season.
"Furthermore, we know there is a great deal of potential in the chassis, so we intend to develop a next generation EXP Speed 8 for the 2003 season. With this new Bentley, which we will roll out by the beginning of next year, we plan a fully competitive assault beginning in Sebring in March and, of course, including Le Mans in June.
"We would like to repeat, if not better, our 2001 podium position this year, but believe me we are definitely aiming for the top step in 2003 with the new car!"
Team Bentley will continue its intensive test programme leading up to the race, and development of the new Dunlop tyres continues apace with encouraging results.
Andy Wallace has won every important sportscar race - Le Mans, Sebring, Daytona, Petit Le Mans - and his speed and consistency have made him one of the greatest sportscar drivers of all time, as well as the most successful British driver currently in the discipline. Not only has he won these races once however, he goes back and wins them again as his three wins at Daytona and two at Sebring bear witness.
Butch Leitzinger has spent the bulk of his career driving in his native United States. Like Wallace, he counts himself among the tiny number of drivers to have won the Daytona 24 Hours three times - and is a double world sportscar champion and Can-Am champion too.
Belgian Eric van de Poele is one of the very few drivers to have scored back-to-back victories in the Sebring 12 Hours. He has raced at Le Mans seven times, winning the prototype category in 1998 despite having to drive over half the race himself due to a team-mate falling ill.
The second Bentley crew is now expected to find alternative employment in June. Martin Brundle has already admitted that his grand prix TV commitments would rule him out of the 2002 Le Mans, but both Guy Smith and Stephane Ortelli remain hopeful of securing alternative rides in the 24 Hours.
bron:crash.net
Bentley Motors chairman elect Franz-Josef Paefgen confirmed the decision in a statement issued from the company's historic Crewe headquarters - and also revealed that a new engine unit will power the sole EXP Speed 8 in this year's event.
"It will be good to have the Le Mans class winning team back in the Bentley EXP Speed 8," he said, "2002 will be a very important development year for Team Bentley as we will have the new Bentley engine in the race car for the first time.
"I can confirm that the powerplant will be a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged, direct injection engine, which will be unique to Bentley and developed in close co-operation with Audi.
"As the engine will not be ready for testing in the car until March, however, we will have a single entry at Le Mans for 2002, but we plan to carry out extensive testing throughout the rest of this year with the possibility of an additional race later in the season.
"Furthermore, we know there is a great deal of potential in the chassis, so we intend to develop a next generation EXP Speed 8 for the 2003 season. With this new Bentley, which we will roll out by the beginning of next year, we plan a fully competitive assault beginning in Sebring in March and, of course, including Le Mans in June.
"We would like to repeat, if not better, our 2001 podium position this year, but believe me we are definitely aiming for the top step in 2003 with the new car!"
Team Bentley will continue its intensive test programme leading up to the race, and development of the new Dunlop tyres continues apace with encouraging results.
Andy Wallace has won every important sportscar race - Le Mans, Sebring, Daytona, Petit Le Mans - and his speed and consistency have made him one of the greatest sportscar drivers of all time, as well as the most successful British driver currently in the discipline. Not only has he won these races once however, he goes back and wins them again as his three wins at Daytona and two at Sebring bear witness.
Butch Leitzinger has spent the bulk of his career driving in his native United States. Like Wallace, he counts himself among the tiny number of drivers to have won the Daytona 24 Hours three times - and is a double world sportscar champion and Can-Am champion too.
Belgian Eric van de Poele is one of the very few drivers to have scored back-to-back victories in the Sebring 12 Hours. He has raced at Le Mans seven times, winning the prototype category in 1998 despite having to drive over half the race himself due to a team-mate falling ill.
The second Bentley crew is now expected to find alternative employment in June. Martin Brundle has already admitted that his grand prix TV commitments would rule him out of the 2002 Le Mans, but both Guy Smith and Stephane Ortelli remain hopeful of securing alternative rides in the 24 Hours.
bron:crash.net