Three Bentley Continental GT3s will contest the 2017 Total 24 Hours of Spa; two from Blancpain GT Series full-season entrants Bentley Team M-Sport and one from partner team Bentley Team Abt.
Bentley Team M-Sport, which is now leading the Blancpain Endurance Series after winning the Circuit Paul Ricard 1000 km, is aiming to complete last year’s unfinished business after it lost the lead of the race in the final laps due to a flash rainstorm. With lessons learned, the team is hoping for a successful weekend with its #7 and #8 Continental GT3s.
Alongside this pair of Bentleys, which will have their usual line-ups, Bentley Team Abt will contest the twice-around-the-clock event at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium for the first time. Nevertheless, the experienced endurance racing outfit still has its sights set on the podium. Its drivers will be South-African Jordan Lee Pepper, German Christer Jöns and Belgian specialist Nico Verdonck.
Brian Gush, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport: “We have three Continental GT3s all capable of getting a great result. That’s a good position to be in going into one of the most important races in the GT3 world. After losing the win last year, Bentley Motorsport has something to prove and we return to Spa with real determination.”
Nico Verdonck (#9 Bentley Team ABT Continental GT3): ““We are aiming at a podium place at the end of the gruelling 24-hour race! We are also fully aware that it will be a solid challenge. Not only is the level unbelievably high with the numerous manufacturers eyeing this event, but it will also be Bentley Team ABT’s first participation in a race of the Blancpain GT Series. We will therefore need to quickly learn and fathom the championship’s subtleties! On top of that we will have to swiftly pinpoint a set-up adapted to the Pirelli tyres, which we will discover during the Test Day to be held on Tuesday 4th July.”