Bentley to end factory program with Continental GT3

Bentley will end its factory program with the Continental racer at the end of this year as part of a phased withdrawal from the GT3 category.

The British manufacturer has opted against restarting its works assault on the Intercontinental GT Challenge with M-Sport, which was put on ice in the summer, and is releasing the six factory drivers it has under contract.

Bentley motorsport boss, Paul Williams, said: “We have a very clear strategy going forward as a brand with Beyond 100, going completely sustainable and focussed on electrified mobility, and we felt it absolutely important we aligned our motorsport direction with that.

“What we are saying is that we are changing direction and we are not going to invest any more in our GT3 program but really look forward to the future.”

He explained that parts and support will be available after next year, but that he expects “to see less and less cars out there” after 2021.

“There are some exciting changes in the industry right now and we are closely evaluating how motorsport can support the brand in the future,” said Williams.