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15 jun 2003 |
It has taken 24-hours of slog, not to mention three years unrelenting hard work but, 73 years after its most recent victory, Bentley has won the Le Mans 24-hour race - and come second. |
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Amid
scenes of extraordinary emotion in and around the pits, at 4.00pm this afternoon,
Guy Smith drove his number 7 Bentley Speed 8 over the line. He was followed
by David Brabham in the sister number 8 car to realise a dream that was
a lifetime in the making. In the process Team Bentley broke Audi's three
year stranglehold on this race, delivered maiden Le Mans wins to Dindo Capello
and Guy Smith and allowed Tom Kristensen to join Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx
as the only people ever to have won this race more than four times. The great question at the start was whether the proven extra speed of the Speed 8 was enough to counter the extra time it would spend in the pits compared with the Audis. Brilliant driving from all six drivers, flawless pitwork, Michelin tyres that allowed triple and quadruple stints and legendary Bentley reliability provided the answer. |
| Dindo Capello: "I have dreamt of winning this race. Le Mans is the biggest sportscar race in the world and it is great to add this victory to those I have at Sebring and Petit Le Mans. The team did a perfect job in the pits, we were able to push when we had to and then limit the risk to get the Bentley to the finish." Tom
Kristensen: "This was a great way to win my fifth Le Mans.
We had a near perfect race on the track and a perfect one in the pits.
I was able to do quick laps, especially at night. It was great to win
with my long time driving partner Dindo; Guy has done an excellent job
with the development of the car as well as driving a great race today.
My thanks go to whole Bentley team." 1
Capello/Kristensen/Smith (Bentley)
377 laps |
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