Bentley leads the Nürburgring 24 Hours

The 40th running of the Nürburgring 24 Hour race is well underway, with the BMW Z4 GT3 of Team Schubert currently in the lead after 23 laps. But just a few hours earlier, the front row was dominated by no less than six Bentleys.

As you’ve already guessed, the Bentleys were not competing in the race, but instead leading all 170 competitors around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe circuit for the official parade lap.

Modern-day Bentley Boys Juha Kankkunen, Guy Smith and Eric van de Poele joined Chairman and Chief Executive Wolfgang Dürheimer in a Bentley line-up, including the Continental GTC W12, Mulsanne, 630 bhp Continental Supersports and new Continental GT V8.

Bentley Continental GT, Mulsanne, Supersports, GT V8 and GTC W12 lead the parade lap at the Nürburgring 24-Hours.

They were joined by a pair of Flying Spurs that are on VIP shuttle service duty throughout the gruelling 24-hour race.

CEO Dürheimer said, “Bentley is proud to help support this year’s Nürburgring event, one of the most punishing endurance tests on the motorsport calendar. As a regular visitor to the Nürburgring during the development of our cars and with a personal passion for driving the track, I am delighted that Bentley is here in a race environment this weekend. I’d like to wish all the drivers the very best of luck for the long race ahead.”

It would certainly have been fun to see at least the Conti Supersports compete in the race, after all, Aston Martin has fielded their 4-door Rapide in the past, but then I suspect a 2-tonne Bentley might wreak havoc to a set of brakes and driveshafts around the Green Hell – but it would be fun while it lasted.