Le Mans Yesterday and Today: Bentley

In fifth place overall in the history of Le Mans is another English manufacturer that has made its mark on the French endurance marathon: Bentley. Today, we are accustomed to seeing factory teams participating in the 24 Hours with setups that rival even the sophisticated Formula 1 teams, but in the early days of this legendary endurance race, things were very different.

Bentley’s adventure at the Circuit de la Sarthe began in 1923, coinciding with the first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. John Duff, a war hero who survived the First World War, participated with his Bentley 3 Litre, leading the race for a long time before finishing in fourth position.

Bentley dominated Le Mans with five victories from 1924 to 1930, leveraging these results for advertising purposes.

This was the prelude to the story of the Bentley Boys, a group of gentlemen drivers who managed to win five times between 1924 and 1930. The only official support from the British company was the provision of the cars; at that time, the drivers personally covered travel costs, refueling, tire changes, and repairs. It was an era of pioneering. The main competition came from the French Lorraine-Dietrich, which won the 1925 and 1926 editions, and the splendid Bugattis.

The Bentley Boys at the 1927 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the second victory for the British brand with the 3 Litre.

The first two victories, with the 3 Litre Sport in 1924 and then in 1926 with the 3 Litre Super Sports, prompted Bentley to heed the advice of its gentlemen drivers, who strongly advocated for a supercharged version to tackle the long straight sections of Le Mans. Consequently, for the 1928 edition, the 4½ Litre “Blower” was introduced, winning the 24 Hours by defeating the American Stutz and Chrysler.

The Bentley 4½ Litre “Blower,” winner of the 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In a period of rapid technological evolution, resting on one’s laurels was not an option, and Bentley decided to introduce the Speed Six, developed from the “Blower” by adding two cylinders to its engine, creating an inline-six made of aluminum that provided more power and lighter weight. The car succeeded in winning at Le Mans in 1929 and 1930, bringing Bentley’s total number of victories to five.

In 1929 and 1930, the Speed Six prevailed at the Circuit de la Sarthe, bringing Bentley to five overall victories.

To see the refined British brand return to Le Mans, a wait of 73 years was required. With the acquisition by Volkswagen, what better way to revive Bentley’s sporting spirit than with a return to Le Mans? The opportunity presented itself in 2003 when, after years of domination, the new ownership decided to field Bentley, entrusting the Speed 8 prototype to the engineers and mechanics of Team Joest, who had already won multiple times at Le Mans with Audi. The result? A splendid one-two finish in first and second place ahead of the Audi R8, managed by the American private team Champion Racing, marking Bentley’s sixth overall victory at the 24 Hours—a strong signal given to the market during the revival of the historic British brand.

The sixth and last overall victory at Le Mans came in 2003 with the Speed 8.

When will we see a Bentley on the Le Mans podium again? The new regulations, which also allow for hydrogen engines, may offer a brand with such a storied history the opportunity. If the Bentley Boys were still with us, they would be ready to embark on this adventure.