Connect with us

GT World Challenge Europe

EXCLUSIVE: HTP Motorsport Switches From Mercedes to Bentley

HTP Motorsport to race Bentley Continental GT3s in 2015…

Photo: John Dagys

Photo: John Dagys

One of the most successful GT3 teams is set for a radical switch of machinery for 2015.

Sportscar365 has confirmed that HTP Motorsport will switch from the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to the Bentley Continental GT3 beginning next year.

The team from Saarbrücken-Ensheim in Germany will run a multi-car effort in both the Blancpain Endurance Series and the Blancpain Sprint Series.

Bentley Team HTP is set race in the ADAC GT Masters as well next season, while also planning select 24 hour events, including the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring.

The complete lineup for the five HTP Bentley Continental GT3s will be announced at a later date.

The Bentley Continental GT3 claimed two overall race victories in the Blancpain Endurance Series in its debut series, with Guy Smith, Andy Meyrick and Steven Kane taking first place at Silverstone and Paul Ricard. Dyson Racing Team won with the Bentley in Pirelli World Challenge.

In 2011 and 2012 the German team, then known as Heico Motorsport, won the FIA GT3 European Championship with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, in its first full season of competition.

As successor to Heico Motorsport, HTP Motorsport continued to dominate with the Mercedes in 2013, taking the Blancpain Endurance Series title with Maximilian Buhk, as well as taking the Pro-Am and Gentlemen Trophy titles in the FIA GT Series.

This season HTP driver Maximilian Götz won the Blancpain Sprint Series title, while the team finished second in the Blancpain GT Series and Blancpain Sprint Series.

Marcel ten Caat (@marceltencaat) is a contributor to Sportscar365 and other publications including Autosport.nl.

8 Comments

More in GT World Challenge Europe