Le Mans 2001 - 14 laps in the Bentley Speed 8 LMGTP
2Although the GT1 era was short, it opened the doors to a reintroduction of closed prototype cars; the GTP class. At first, the GTP class had its own set of rules, and just a few manufacturers took the risks of exploring the aerodymamic benefits and disadvantages of closed prototypes..
The GTP class and the open prototypes merged and became the LMP1 class.
It took a good number of years before the closed prototypes became the norm, which would eventually get out of hand with the introduction of hybrid and energy recovery systems (at first with flywheels, later with supercapacitors).
Summary of the 1999 Le Mans race:
Porsche left after the GT1 era (1998), Mercedes went flying during the practise on Thursday and another one during the warm-up. They felt like the new LM-GTP wasn't safe enough and retired before the race started. Toyota quit after the 1999 season and newcomer Audi had serious problems with thei R8C. BMW won with an open prototype.
After the failed R8C closed prototype project, Audi concentrated their effort into developing the very successful R8 LMP open prototype.
However, the R8C was a treasure filled with data and behind the screens that data was used to design another closed prototype for the LM GTP class (which would later merge with the LMP1 class).
The new car wasn't an Audi, but it was the (sister company) Bentley EXP Speed 8. Bentley returned to endurance racing after an absence of 73 years.
A beautiful car in classy British Racing Green, designed by Racing Technology Norfolk, the same company that designed the R8C.
The Speed 8 debuted in 2001 and won the 24 hours of Le Mans in 2003.
p10 to p3
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