Bentley is looking to claim a ‘triple crown’ of wins at one of the world’s most demanding motorsport events.
This summer will see Bentley enter a specially prepared version of its Continental GT3 race car into the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Along with the hopes of success in the Time Attack category, Bentley will also be testing the use of biofuel-based petrol.
The longest climb
Held since 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb challenges drivers over a 12.42-mile course that ascends by 1,440 metres (4,720 ft).
With 156 corners to master, and substantial drops at the side of the road, the Colorado event is not for the faint hearted.
Fortunately, Bentley has already developed a winning reputation at Pikes Peak. In 2018, the luxurious Bentayga set a new record for Production SUVs with a time of 10 minutes 49.9 seconds.
The following year, Bentley used the Continental GT to claim victory in the Production Car category.
Winging it to the top
For 2021, Bentley has turned to the successful Continental GT3 race car as the basis for its Pikes Peak contender.
A carefully chosen biofuel will be used for the 4.0-l twin-turbocharged V8 engine, with a focus on maintaining performance as the altitude rises. Bentley promises that the short exhaust tailpipes, exiting from the side of the Continental GT3, will deliver dramatic sounds.
Aerodynamics are also key to the new GT3. The Pikes Peak car will wear the biggest rear wing ever fitted to a Bentley, with a two-plane splitter at the front and giant diffuser at the back.
New Zealand-born Rhys Millen, a multiple class winner at Pikes Peak, will be responsible for driving the Bentley.
A sustainable performance future
Aside from making a dramatic motorsport statement, Bentley intends to use the Pikes Peak experience to investigate which biofuels the company could use in future.
Bentley’s Beyond100 programme will see hybrid choices offered across the entire range by 2023. The brand will then become fully electric by 2030.
With plans to continue producing internal combustion engines for almost another decade, Bentley hopes that biofuels will create a sustainable interim solution.
Dr Matthias Rabe, Bentley board member for engineering, commented that: “Our powertrain engineers are already researching both biofuels and e-fuels for use by our customers alongside our electrification programme – with intermediate steps of adopting renewable fuels at the factory in Crewe and for our company fleet.
“In the meantime, the Continental GT3 Pikes Peak will show that renewable fuels can allow motorsport to continue in a responsible way, and hopefully it will capture the third and final record in our triple crown.”
Bentley will undertake testing of the new car in the UK, before having it shipped to the United States ahead of the event in June later this year.
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