Bentley back at Pikes Peak

Bentley will be back at the formidable Pikes Peak International Hillclimb for the third and final time in June in pursuit of a ‘triple crown’ of course records. Having set a record time for an SUV in 2018 with its Bentayga, plus the production car record the following year with its Continental GT, the company returns to the Colorado course hoping to achieve the Time Attack 1 record for modified production-based vehicles.

The racer tasked with the challenge is an upgraded version of the GT3- spec Continental GT, driven once again by drifting champion Rhys Millen, who is aiming to cover the 12.42- mile, 156-corner course in less than nine minutes and 36 seconds – 42 seconds quicker than his 2019 time. The Continental GT3 Pikes Peak – run in partnership with customer race team Fastr – is described as “the most extreme road-car-based Bentley in history”, with its modifications extending to a dramatic aerodynamics package and comprehensive powertrain modifications.

The car features the “biggest rear wing ever fitted to a Bentley”, along with a rear diffuser and dual-plane front splitter. The rear windows have been swapped for air scoops – which will aid cooling in the thin air at the top of the mountain – while other Pikes Peak-specific additions include a full roll cage. The car uses a modified version of the GT’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, with what Bentley claims is a “significant” power increase – likely to mean an output in excess of 600bhp. It will run on biofuel, to ensure it continues to develop maximum horsepower despite the inhospitable conditions it will operate in.