Bentley enters Bathurst 12 Hours

Bentley will contest next year's Bathurst 12 Hours as part of a plan to take in selected enduros around the world with the Continental GT3. M-Sport will field a pair of factory Continentals at Bathurst in February with a driver lineup that has yet to be nominated.

The British manufacturer also plans to enter the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May and is considering racing in the Dubai 24 Hours in January and the Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi in December 2015 around its continued presence in the Blancpain Endurance Series.

"We are planning to do selected premier endurance events in markets that are important to Bentley," Bentley motorsport boss Brian Gush said. "Bathurst is becoming a more and more important event on the sportscar calendar and we want to be there."

Gush explained that Bentley was considering a factory entry in Dubai, but might opt instead to support one of its customer teams, most likely the Chinese Absolute Racing squad.

The Gulf 12 Hours is on the list of potential races for Bentley next year, Gush said, even though the team will not be contesting the race on the Yas Marina circuit this season. Bentley will only be allowed to run two of its factory drivers in each car, because the rules demand at least one unseeded driver per car.

Bentley has not announced its drivers for 2015, but it is understood that two-time BES race winners Steven Kane, Guy Smith and Andy Meyrick will all be retained.