When England try to conquer Le Mans again – Part Two – Bentley Speed 8.
At the beginning of the 2000s, Bentley also made another attempt to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Having almost dominated the world’s most famous and prestigious endurance race in the 1920s with large-volume racing cars such as the Bentley 6 Blower, it was not until the beginning of the 21st century that Bentley came to its senses and launched a new project.
With the Bentley EXP Speed 8 and then the evolutionary Speed 8 model, the designers created one of the most beautiful LMP1 racing cars of all time. Painted in dark green with light grey applications, incredibly flat and with almost beguiling curves, the design is truly unique. Uniquely marvellous. In general, it is always amazing to me how delicate and almost fragile the sports prototype class racing cars look. A Porsche 911 GT3 looks chunky and huge in comparison. And if you risk a glance into the cockpit, you can only imagine how cramped it must be for the driver. Unfortunately, I’ve never been allowed to take a seat in a racing car like this, and the question is whether I would even be able to get in or out. I think it would be like sitting in a sardine tin. A racing car has to fit like a glove and freedom of movement would be counterproductive.
I’m also not sure what the view outside is like. I don’t think the cockpit’s aeroplane cockpit-like structure with the very strongly curved windscreen offers much all-round visibility. And all that, the cramped space and the presumed poor visibility when you’re racing through the night at Le Mans at more than 360 km/h. Nevertheless, I prefer the closed sports prototypes purely visually. They are usually the result of uncompromising design; form does not follow function, but form determines function.
Its outward appearance serves almost exclusively to perfect aerodynamic performance and the best possible downforce without losing much in the way of top speed.
But back to the beautiful Bentley Speed 8 and its predecessor, the EXP Speed 8. After a factory absence of almost 70 years from the most famous 24 hours of motorsport history on one of the most difficult race tracks in the world, Bentley launched a three-year programme in 2001.
When developing the vehicle, however, Bentley took inspiration from VW’s sister company Audi, which had designed the technological model for the Bentley in the form of the Audi R8C. So it has to be said that it was not quite the British way to leave Le Mans as the winner again after all these decades.
The 3.6-litre V8 engine was also inspired by an Audi model. Under the designation Bentley EXP Speed 8, two racing cars started at Le Mans in 2001. But the Group’s own competition from Audi was unbeatable at the time and so the #8 Bentley ultimately finished third overall on its debut.
In 2002, the factory only sent a Speed 8 Bentley into the race in order to learn and experiment enough for an overall victory in the following year, 2003. With an engine with an increased capacity of 4 litres and now around 600 hp, the prototype achieved fourth place overall. Once again, Joest-Audi was the better team on the track and therefore once again unbeatable.
Then in 2003, in the third year of factory involvement in Le Mans and at the end of the challenging plan, Bentley’s big moment finally arrived.
The number 7 Speed 8 with Capello, Kristensen and Smith crossed the finish line as the winning car after 377 laps, while the sister car with the number 8 of Blundell, Brabham and Herbert finished second. Although the sister car was supposedly stronger with Formula 1 drivers, the more experienced sports prototype drivers won.
For Tom Kristensen it was also the 5th Le Mans triumph of his career. A title defence at Le Mans was not planned. Bentley cancelled the project and did not compete again in the LMGTP at the 24-hour classic. They had shown that they could do it and that was probably enough for Bentley. Today, the two racing cars are occasionally seen at historic motorsport races. A feast for the eyes and ears. Find out more about our photographer Ralph Lüker.
