24h Le Mans
Rob Bell shares his time at the wheel between two British marques. This year he has raced with Aston Martin at Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans and otherwise drives a McLaren GT. He told us about his Le Mans race.
How did the last Le Mans 24 Hours go for you?
The week went well. Aston Martin was very competitive. We did a good job during the race. We were second after six or seven hours and I was in the car. I was just behind the class leader but I had tyre trouble. Unfortunately I made a tiny mistake in the second chicane. I hit the kerb a bit hard, which damaged the oil line feed and the engine failed. I was absolutely gutted. I was also disappointed for the team because we were in a good position to win the LM GTE Pro class. I made a mistake, it’s my fault, and I admit that.
The rest of the year you are a McLaren factory driver. What does your role involve?
I worked with the other drivers to develop the McLaren 650 S. I then competed in several GT championship races. My job is to make sure the car's development progresses in the right direction and it’s also about winning races. This car is superbly built, it’s fantastic.
What’s on the agenda for the rest of the season?
The 24 Hours of Spa (he came 29th overall, Ed.) and after that, we’ll see. For the moment, there are no other races lined up with Aston Martin Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship, but plans can change.
You’re a factory driver for McLaren, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twenty years ago. When do you think the marque will make a comeback at Le Mans?
It’s always exciting to enter Le Mans, for any constructor. It’s definitely something they’re thinking about. For me, as a driver, it would be really special to race the Le Mans 24 Hours with McLaren. I think the problem is the discussions around the GTE and GT3 regulations, about combining the rules. We’ll see what happens. McLaren is keeping a close eye on what goes on. In any case, with the current constructors LM GTE is just fantastic at the moment.
David Bristol / ACO Translated from French by Emma Paulay
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, MONDAY 8 JUNE 2015, SCRUTINEERING. Rob Bell, Aston Martin factory driver raced his seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans this year.
