Gush to Retire After 20 Years; Bentley Announces Replacement

Photo: Drew Gibson/Bentley

Bentley has announced that Brian Gush will retire from his role as its director of motorsport at the end of the month, with Paul Williams confirmed as his replacement.

Gush has run Bentley’s motorsport programs since the manufacturer’s return to racing in 2001, presiding over its 24 Hours of Le Mans victory in 2003 and, more recently, its GT3 program.

He joined Bentley in 1999 as director of chassis, powertrain and motorsport and will leave on Aug. 1, following the Total 24 Hours of Spa, after a 20-year career at the Crewe-based company.

“My time at Bentley has been the highlight of my career,” he said.

“Bentley afforded me the opportunity to help deliver a car to Her Majesty the Queen while also winning the Le Mans 24 Hours – and surely it’s the only brand in the world that could combine those two challenges.

“I will always have fond memories of the teams I have worked with and the success we shared. I wish Paul the best of luck – he will undoubtedly take Bentley Motorsport to the next level.”

Gush’s replacement, Williams, is Bentley’s current director of powertrain.

He has worked at the company since 2008 and has overseen the design and development of its new 6-liter W12 engine and the second generation of its 4-liter V8 that powers the Continental GT3.

“Running Bentley’s motorsport division will be a hugely exciting new chapter in my career,” commented Williams.

“I’ve been a dedicated follower of our race team since its return to the track in 2013, and have been watching with pride as our second-generation Continental GT3 has racked up the victories so far this year.

“Succeeding Brian Gush is no small task, and my first job is to maintain the winning momentum that he and the team have generated this year. I can’t wait to get started.”

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.