McLaren GT Factory Driver Rob Bell Helps Secure Victory In The Heat Of Sepang

Rob Bell in the McLaren 650S GT3

The McLaren 650S GT3 continued winning ways over the weekend with a lights-to-flag victory for McLaren GT customer team Clearwater Racing at the second round of the Asian Le Mans Series in Sepang. Factory driver Rob Bell, alongside teammates Mok Weng Sun and Keita Sawa secured pole position and overall victory in the GT3 category to extend the championship lead.

Round 2 of the highly competitive Asian Le Mans Series took place in hot conditions at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, with very different conditions to the wet race of round 1 in Fuji, Japan last month. Despite the change in weather, Clearwater Racing showed the competitive edge once again in a close battle throughout qualifying with factory driver Bell securing pole position for the start of the three hour endurance race.

The hot conditions were a true test of the 650S GT3 and the drivers throughout the race, and careful management of tires was a key factor. The team maintained the lead from the start and with one hour remaining Bell was back in the cockpit and he was able to bring the #3 car home for the second successive victory, maintaining an unbeaten start to the season. This victory marks the 21st win in all competitions for the 650S GT3 in what is still the competitive debut season.

Rob Bell, Factory Driver, McLaren GT

'Thanks to Clearwater Racing for another great weekend. After the heavy rain we experienced in Fuji on our last time out, this race was another big challenge, but the 650S GT3 ran faultlessly throughout, and we found a great setup to make the tires last in the heat. That was the difference in the end.

'The competition on the Asian Le Mans Series grid is extremely high, and that showed this weekend, but Weng and Sawa did a great job during their stints – I just had to keep the pace up and stay out of trouble to secure the win. We were racing against the weather at the very end with dark storm clouds gathering in the final 10 minutes, but thankfully it held off until the in-lap after the checkered flag!'