After a 71 year absence from Le Mans, Bentley returned in 2001, but with little success and in-house competition with Audi the decision was made to drop the Speed 8 LMP1 program in 2003. The team did go out with a bang, however, taking the checked flag at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – due in part to a lack of participation by Audi.

Now Bentley is poised to return to motor racing once again, with AutoCar reporting the British luxury brand is preparing to make an announcement next summer.

“An LMP1 car would be a good way to go, but not the only possible way,” said Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer. While in-house competition with other VW owned brands like Audi and Porsche (which is planning its own Le Mans entry for 2014) seems unlikely, Durheimer suggests that one solution would be to run the cars in different markets, with the Bentley team perhaps competing in the ALMS series in the U.S. (it’s strongest retail market), or overseas in Asia, to help grow the brand there. As a result the only time the three teams would come together would be to race at certain major events, like the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

With Audi continuing its diesel push and Porsche rumored to be planning hybrid technology for its LMP1 car, expect Bentley to try a different route, perhaps running on an alternative fuel like ethanol.

[Source: AutoCar]

Porsche‘s updated GT3 R Hybrid made its North American debut this weekend at the American Le Mans Series race at Laguna Seca and the folks at Porsche couldn’t be happier. Well, that’s not exactly true. They’d be a lot happier if the car had been racing for points.

Driven by Porsche works drivers Romain Dumas and Richard Lietz the hybrid not only posted the fastest lap time of all the GT competitors, but it completed the 6 hour endurance race with just three pit stops, compared to five for its rivals. And to make the victory even more impressive, because the car wasn’t competing for points it wasn’t eligible to qualify and so it started at the back of the grid.

“The start phase was huge fun, because it was relatively easy to overtake the slower competitors,” said Romain Dumas. “But it’s even more fun because we can apply superior tactics thanks to the lower fuel consumption. We are much more flexible and we made the most of this today.”

“We had the least pit stops of all the teams and showed clearly what the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid can do,” said Lietz. “We didn’t experience one technical problem and left all the other GT vehicles behind us. Our expectations have been far exceeded.”

And with that excellent news, there was added celebration as it was also a Porsche that managed to take the first place spot in the race, with Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long finishing just ahead of one of the BMWs to lock down the team’s third victory this season.

The GT3 R Hybrid mates a 470-hp naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine powering the rear wheels with an additional 200-hp of electric boost available on demand to the front wheels thanks to Porsche’s innovative flywheel hybrid technology.

GALLERY: Porsche GT3 R Hybrid at Laguna Seca

Any Lotus enthusiast will tell you that the brand would be wise to stop pumping resources into Formula 1 and IndyCar, an instead get more heavily involved in road racing. After all, in many respects it represents a better bang-for-the-buck for the marketing folks, with a direct correlation between the cars that race and the cars sold through dealers.

Lotus has already initiated a sports car racing program in Europe with several renditions of the Evora, including the most recent Evora GTE, which competed first at the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium and then at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Lotus has now confirmed with AutoGuide that it is planning a U.S. stop this year, where it will look to challenge the Ferraris, Corvettes, Porsches and BMWs at the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.

Lotus did not give any indication of how many vehicles it would run at the 10 hour endurance race, which will be another step in the Evora GTE’s development as Lotus looks to seriously take the fight to its rivals and cease to be an afterthought in the exotic and sports car segment.

Porsche is about to unleash a very different type of hybrid on the residents of California, announcing plans to have the GT3 R Hybrid race car take part in the American Le Mans Series race at Laguna Seca on September 17th.

The race car won’t be eligible to race for points, as the ALMS governing body does not yet allow hybrids, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be competing and looking for a win. Porsche works pilots, Romain Dumas and Richard Lietz, who have both raced the car, will be sharing duties behind the wheel.

Version 2.0 of the hybrid racer, the GT3 R Hybrid uses a modified version of the original’s powertrain, making 470-hp from a naturally aspirated six-cylinder boxer engine, with an additional 200-hp of electric boost available on demand. It also weights over 100 lbs less than the original thanks to a focus on weight savings for the electric components.

So far the GT3 R Hybrid has competed in two races this year, finishing a disappointing 28th at the Nurburgring 24 Hour Race as a result of rule changes for hybrid cars as well as contact with another vehicle. The hybrid racer did start off the year strong, however, taking the podium at the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship in Germany.

GALLERY: Porsche GT3 R Hybrid

As the American LeMans Series rolled into Mosport International Raceway, situated an hour east of Toronto, the only thing that could match the aural assault of a flat-six Porsche engine roaring down the main straight was the searing heat – weather forecasters noted that with the humidity taken into account, temperatures felt like 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Despite the excruciating conditions, we were unwilling to turn down the opportunity of a lifetime, and the chance to ride shotgun in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racecar, which will take part in the IMSA GT3 Challenge support race this weekend. AutoGuide was the sole media representative at Mosport, and the other passenger was a race driver interested in joining the series in 2012.

Our  pilot for the afternoon was Randy Oswald, who counts the Mosport race as his home event. Oswald had the benefit of a liquid-cooled racing suit to combat the searing heat, while passengers were allowed to wear short sleeved shirts and long pants. As Oswald expounded on the importance of proper safety gear, reports of a crash came through the radio, delaying the practice session for some time.  ”I was told that if you drive one of these long enough,” he said, pointing to his brand new 911 GT3 Cup car, “you’ll set one on fire – so always wear your firesuit.” Sure enough, the wrecked car we’d heard about earlier came in on a flatbed, with the rear end of the car crumpled and charred by flames.

Luckily, the hot laps were much more fun and free of any life-threatening conditions, as Oswald expertly piloted the car through Mosport’s 10 turn, 2.4 mile course. With very little run-off room, daunting elevation changes and the potential for very high speeds, Mosport is one of the world’s great tracks, and experiencing it in a full-blown race car was a treat. A Porsche representative warned us not to take our SLR camera in the car, since the g-forces turn our small Nikon into the equivalent of a 60 lb freeweight while in motion, presenting a safety hazard should it get loose.

Outfitted with a whining sequential gearbox that muffles out the raucous exhaust note, the GT3 Cup accelerated rapidly down the straights, but completely blew us away with the sheer amount of grip available thanks to the Yokohama Advan slicks and the specially designed aerodynamics package that enable the car to pull as much as 1.6 Gs. One driver noted that even a 911 GT3 RS can be coaxed into a gentle four-wheel drift throughout the track, but the aforementioned tires and aero package help keep the GT3 Cup planted in a way that no street car can ever dream of.

The ALMS series at Mosport kicks off Friday and lasts until Sunday, with the first GT3 Challenge race on Saturday, July 23rd at 4:50 P.M. The main ALMS race will be held on Sunday, July 24th at 3:05 P.M, and according to ALMS, is the fastest race on the entire schedule, with speeds average speeds of over 130 mph for the prototype cars.

Gallery: Porsche GT3 Cup Car/ IMSA GT3 Challenge Practice

Auto racing and environmental consciousness normally do not mix, however, the American LeMans Series has been working on changing that, and hopes to improve on its already green track record.

This is the only race series around the world in which four different types of fuels are being used, namely E10, E85, diesel and isobutanol. Also, apart from the result of championship points given to teams and drivers respective of their finish in the race, ALMS also awards a championship within a championship to the greenest team on the grid.

Now the series is looking to go greener still by hoping to soon introduce natural gas powered race cars. In an interview with Fox Car Report, ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton said he wants to “demonstrate the competitiveness of natural gas, and the ease and convenience of refueling, because right now that’s seen as one of the impediments. If you can take away some of what the consumer would describe as downside issues, and demonstrate its competitiveness and the fact that you don’t have to sacrifice anything, I think it would go a long way toward mainstream acceptance of natural gas as a fuel for any type of vehicle.”

When asked about electric race cars, Atherton said this technology might play in this series in the future, but not at the moment, saying electric drivetrains cannot handle the stress of such a race series, however he is looking at other electric race series to bring in as part of their support festivities. Nissan has already hinted at an all electric series using spec versions of the NISMO Leaf RC race car.

In a merger that seems obvious from the get-go, American Le Mans has named the Sports Car Club of America its Official Grassroots Motorsports Partner.

No, not Grassroots Motorsports, the required summer reading of any Miata or E30 owner—grassroots motorsports, as in an attempt for American Le Mans to reach out to those not blessed with talent scouts or an innate driving ability honed from being in go-karts from the age of 4. It’s a way for American Le Mans to leverage the support of SCCA’s 60,000+ members, though we’d be hard-pressed to find one of them who hasn’t heard of ALMS.

“The partnership between ALMS and SCCA is a very natural one,” said Scott Atherton the president and CEO of ALMS. “The majority of ALMS fans are auto enthusiasts, many of them wondering how they can become more involved in motorsports at a grassroots level; the SCCA is the ideal place to start that journey. Similarly, we believe SCCA members have a deep appreciation for our sport and hope all of them will take full advantage of the fan-centered opportunities the ALMS offers.”

The next race in the 2011 American Le Mans season will be on the weekend of July 8-9 at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut. And in the grand tradition of motorsports being sponsored by vaguely irresponsible-seeming manufacturers of hard liquor, the top sponsor this year is Tequila Patrón.

[Source: American Le Mans]

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Corvette Racing’s 2011 season rolls on and with it the latest installment of season two of the Track to Street series. In Episode 4 the team heads to the Long Beach Grand Prix, a treacherous street circuit where you’re lucky to escape with a functioning car. And with the 24 Hours of Le Mans race next on the schedule, Corvette Racing was eager to keep its cars intact.

For all the videos subscribe to Chevy‘s YouTube channel here and while you’re at it, sign up to AutoGuide’s YouTube channel too.

One of the leading teams in the American Le Mans Series has published a tactful but strongly worded essay taking the ALMS to task for failing to secure a proper live television deal for the 2011 season, when the race series has previously been able to secure such a contract.

For this season, ALMS shifted to a largely digital broadcast format, with races being shown live on ESPN3.com, and then aired later on ABC. Due to a scheduling conflict, ABC was unable to air the 12 Hours of Sebring broadcast on the West Coast, a significant market for motorsports.

On its official website, Risi Competizione posted a lengthy, but eloquent essay, taking the ALMS to task for what it argues is a retrograde movement in securing coverage for its race series. Risi also notes that the high cost of sports car racing, and the need for significant sponsorship exposure makes the broadcast deal look unprofessional.

While ALMS boss Scott Atherton posted a defense of the new media deal 4 days before Risi’s own blog, Risi seems to have been feeling unfulfilled by the arrangement, and their public criticism of the ALMS management is surprising.

We asked a spokesman from Chevrolet to comment on whether Corvette Racing shares the same sentiments. In an email, he stated “No, I don’t think we share that exact same opinion. Though yes, we’re sensitive to the concerns of fans and we of course want the best broadcast coverage possible for fans.”

We highly suggest checking out both Risi’s post (linked below) and the ALMS official statement. Both of these primary documents must be read to gain a solid grounding in the issues, but we would love to hear what you think. As motorsports fans ourselves, it’s safe to say we are fairly invested in this story.

[Source: Risi Competizione]

With the anticipation growing for Audi‘s R18 LMP1 race car to hit the track competitively, Audi is probably wishing it’ll happen sooner themselves. After losing out at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Audi may be looking forward to getting the R18 out on the track in order to replace the current R15 race cars.

Two of the R18s were first test-driven at Sebring along with an R15 as a control car and all ten Audi racing drivers were involved in the testing program. Currently they’re on their way to Europe and will be torn apart and analyzed by Audi Sport in Ingolstadt.

Their next appearance will be at the famous Le Mans racetrack and will compete for the first time in the six hour race in Spa-Francorchamps.

Official press release available after the break.

GALLERY: Audi R18

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