Dyson Racing and Bentley ready to take on the Pirelli World Challenge

After a wild successful wrap to the 2014 Pirelli World Challenge season, Bentley Team Dyson Racing is all tested up and ready to hit 2015.

“Our goal last season was to assess the car, the series and the competition,” said Rob Dyson, the team’s founder and CEO said in a press release.

“It was clear from our first race weekend at Elkhart Lake, where Butch Leitzinger set the second-fastest lap in each race, that the car was good, the competition was keen, the races were hard-fought, and the series was very well run.” 

Successful first try

That first season, in only a half-of that season, the team found itself on the front row multiple times, finishing on the podium twice, and a third time on the top step at last seasons finale at Miller Motorsport Park.

Despite appearing to have the car shaken down, Dyson says that he know the rest of the competition will be bringing more to the table competition wise.

“But we knew our competitors wouldn’t be standing still over the winter and we would need to focus our efforts on realizing more of the Continental GT3’s full potential,” he added.

The team also confirmed Leitzinger in the #20 car, with Dyson taking the seat in the #16.

“Right from our first race last year it was so much fun,” Leitzinger said. “The Bentley was so good from the beginning. And it’s a really fun series to be in with lots of action. The driving level is good and people are tough and fair so you are able to really joust with people and enjoy the racing.”

Still impressed with Bentley Continental

During winter testing, which has seen the team at Sebring, Florida with both IMSA Continental Cup cars and the Pirelli World Championship Car, Dyson said he was still impressed with the Bentley Continental GT3’s on track performance.

“I was very pleased with how much downforce the Bentley makes, particularly in high-speed corners,” said the former ALMS champion, which he won driving prototypes. 

Along with a regime of winter testing, Bentley Team Dyson Racing is employing the help of M-Sport, which builds the Continental GT3 to improve the launch control software. The Pirelli World Challenge is the only series the Bentley machine competes in that uses a full grid standing start.

“In 2014, it’s not surprising our competitors’ had more thoroughly developed launch-control software,” Dyson said. 

“We were strong in qualifying, but we were getting out-raced to the first corner and with a race that lasts just 40 to 50 minutes and often on tracks where it’s tough to pass, that’s a not insignificant handicap.”