Blancpain: HTP drops Mercedes for Bentley

Five Bentleys will be run by the German HTP Motorsport squad across three major GT3 series in Europe next season.

HTP, which has run the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG since 2011 (initially as Heico Motorsport), has agreed a multi-year partnership with Bentley that will result in it putting Bentley Continental GT3s on the grid in the Blancpain Sprint Series, the Blancpain Endurance Series, ADAC GT Masters and the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Bentley motorsport boss Brian Gush said: "HTP Motorsport is a racing organization of the very highest caliber, with six championships and 20 race wins to its name, and so I'm delighted that it is the latest team to show confidence in our Continental GT3 through partnering with us.

"Europe is where Bentley's motorsport heritage is based, and this collaboration is the important next step in our plan to expand our GT3 program."

HTP boss Norbert Bruckner, which will run the cars under the Bentley Team HTP banner, explained that he had been looking for a long-term collaboration with a manufacturer.

"We were looking for something more than our relationship with Mercedes, with whom we were a sort of customer team-plus.

"We have agreed a clear cooperation with a manufacturer that has a longterm motorsport vision, which we are very happy to be part of. We also think we can help Bentley as a team with a very good pedigree."

Bruckner explained that the team had concrete plans to run two cars in both the BSS and ADAC GT and a one-car campaign in the BES that could potentially expand to a pair of cars.

HTP needs five cars for its multiple programmes because there are five clashes between ADAC GT Masters and Blancpain events.

Drivers have yet to be confirmed, but it is understood that lead HTP driver Maximilian Buhk, who won last year's BES title with the team, will remain on its roster.

HTP's CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS
2011 FIA GT3 European Championship - teams' title
2012 FIA GT3 European Championshop - Maximilian Buhk/Dominik Baumann
2013 Blancpain Endurance Series - Maximilian Buhk
2013 FIA GT Series - Sergey Afanasiev/Andreas Simonsen (Pro-Am Cup)
2014 Blancpain Sprint Series - Maximilian Gotz

Originally on Autosport.com