Bentley EXP Speed 8 Le Mans racing car.
Bentley Motors are back at Le Mans for the first time in over 70 years.
2003
Bentley 1st & 2nd at Le Mans
Pictures From the
Le Mans 24 Hour Race 2001
All Pictures below from Le Mans Copyright James Carrington
No 7 and No 8
In the Pits
The Weather was the Worst Ever
with Torrential Rain
The view from the Cockpit
Disaster Strikes for No 7
Probably a Gearbox problem
After a Grueling 24 Hours,
The End is in Sight
Celebrations all round
The New Bentley Boys honour the Old Bentley Boys
by dressing in 1930's Racing Overals for their entrance on the Podium
Then the Boys change to the Team Bentley Colours
to accept their well deserved Trophies
A very emotional moment for
Derek Bell - Team Consultant.
Who can blame him.....I shed a tear myself.
Bentley is at last looking toward a magnificent future....
Well Done VW and all at Team Bentley.
Technical specifications - Bentley EXP Speed 8 Monocoque
Carbon fibre survival cell
Unique carbon roll hoop
assemblies integrated with the
roof structureBody
Carbon fibre construction to
wind tunnel defined shape
Engine 90 degree V8 with four
valves per cylinder and twin
turbochargers. Air-restrictors
sized according to ACO rules
(2x 33.1mm) Boost pressure
limited to 1.87 bar for ACO
regulations.
Ignition and fuelling
Bosch MS 2.8 engine managementLubrication
Dry sumpDisplacement
3600ccPower output
In excess of 600 bhpTorque
In excess of 650 Newton metres
Transmission
Bentley bellhousing and main
case with Xtrac internals.
Sequential 6-speed transverse
design with Megaline
pneumatic system. Rear wheel
drive through tri-lobe joint
driveshafts
Clutch
AP Racing clutchDifferential
Mechanical limited-slip
differentialSuspension
Front: Double wishbones
pushrods, torsion bars Rear:
Double wishbones, pushrods,
coil springsSteering
Rack and pinion steering with
Kayaba electric
power-assistanceBrakes
Front: 14.8in ventilated
carbon fibre discs, six piston
AP Racing callipers Rear:
14.0in ventilated carbon fibre
discs, six piston AP Racing
callipers Twin circuit hydraulic
operation with driver
adjustable balanceWheels
O.Z. forged magnesium rims
Front 12.25J x 18in 29/65 x
18 front Rear 13 J x 18in
31/71 x 18 rearTyres
Dunlop slick, wet and
intermediate radialsOverall Dimensions
Length: 4630mm
Wheelbase: 2730mm
Width: 1990mm
Front track: 1700mm
Height: 990mm
Rear track: 1680mm
The Old Bentley Boys 
W O Bentley (Centre)
Tim Birkin
Woolf Barnato & Frank Clement
Wally Hassan, Jack Dunfee, Woolf Barnato, Stan Ivernee
Woolf Barnato, Tim Birkin - Le Mans 1929
Tim Birkin - 4 1/2 Litre Blower
Tim Birkin in Old No 1 - 1929
Woolf Barnato in Old No 1
The New Bentley Boys 
Martin Brundle
Born: 1st June 1959
Nationality: British
Lives: Kings Lynn, Norfolk, UKTwelve seasons in Formula One and a place
alongside Murray Walker in the commentary box
have made Martin Brundle one of the most well
known and respected faces in racing. And
Martins record in sportscars is, if anything,
more impressive still. His first big win was for
Jaguar at Spa in 1987 and his first 24-hour victory
came at Daytona the following year as he helped
Jaguar to the World Sportscar Championship in
both years. He returned to F1 for 1989 before
coming back to Jaguar in 1990, first coming second
at Daytona and then winning Le Mans outright for
the marque.Martin continued to win for Jaguar during 1991 when
his F1 commitments allowed but thereafter Formula
One would keep him away from Le Mans until 1997.
His return with Nissan was marred by a lack of
reliability so he turned to Toyota in 1998 and 1999
and soon proved he had lost none of his speed. In
1999, he set the pole position time, was by far the
fastest driver on the course and led the race with
ease before retiring.Stéphane Ortelli
Born: 30 March 1970
Nationality: French
Lives: MonacoStéphane Ortellis Le Mans record may not
be that long, but it is envied. By rights he should
have won the race twice in the last three years; he
claimed outright victory for Porsche in 1998, retired
in 1999 and was leading comfortably in 2000 until
delayed by a precautionary gearbox change to his
Audi. He still came home second overall.Guy Smith
Born, September 12, 1974
Nationality: British
Lives: Hull, East Yorkshire, UKAlthough only 26, Guy has a tremendous track
record although he has taken part at Le Mans just
once, driving a Reynard 2KQ-LM with former Ferrari
F1 driver, Stefan Johannson last year. This did not
stop Guy recording the 18th fastest lap in qualifying
in what was far from the quickest car on the grid.
Not only did this make him the fastest of all 37
newcomers to the race, his time also put him 20
places higher than the next quickest driver making
their debut at Le Mans. This performance earned
him the coveted Rookie of the Year
award.Andy Wallace
Born: 19 February 1961
Nationality: British
Lives: Oxford, EnglandAndy is one of the most accomplished drivers in the
history of sportscar racing and the most successful
British driver currently racing in the discipline. He
marked his first season in sportscars (1988) by
winning Le Mans outright and has never looked
back. Since then he has won the Daytona 24-hours
three times (1990, 1997, 1999) and the Sebring
12-hours twice (1992, 1993), making just one of a
tiny group of the sportscar elite to have won all
three of its premier races. His victory in the 1999
Petit Le Mans 1000 miles gives him the unique
distinction of having won every one of the ‘big
four’ in sportscar racing. Andy’s
consistency is also unrivalled: in the 24 finishes he
notched up in these events over 12 years, he was
on the podium no less than 15 times.James Weaver
Born: 4 March, 1955
Nationality: British
Lives: Wiltshire, EnglandMost drivers would consider themselves quite
experienced with 87 races under their belts. James
Weaver, by contrast, has won 87 races. In addition
he has claimed 62 pole positions, 67 fastest laps,
34 lap records, 60 seconds and 41 thirds. James
made his racing debut in Formula Ford in 1975,
working his way up through the formulae and
making his first appearance at Le Mans in 1983,
when he came second in his class only to return in
1985 with Richard Lloyd Racing to place second
overall. In 1989 he dominated his class in the
British Touring Car Championship with 11 wins,
finishing second overall. But it is his recent career
that makes the most compelling reading. In 1995 he
was the IMSA World Sportscar series vice
champion and, in 1996, BPR Global GT Champion.
In 1997 he won the Daytona 24 hours and received
the rare and coveted Gold Star from the British
Racing Drivers Club, given to the most
successful British driver in international motorsport.
In 1998 he won Americas CanAm
championship and, last year the 2000 GrandAm
championship.Butch Leitzinger
Born: 28 February 1969
Nationality: American
Lives: State College, PennsylvaniaIt is some testament to the talent of Butch
Leitzinger and his aptitude for sportscar racing that,
aged just 31, he has already won the Daytona 24
hours three times (1994, 1997, 1999), the World
Sportscar Championship twice (1997, 1998) and the
CanAm championship too (1999). As a result of
these and his many other victories, the authoritative
‘On Track magazine chose him as
their sports car racer of the decade.
Copyright
Darkforce Ltd - 1984/2007
