Robert Bell (racing driver)

Robert "Rob" Bell (born 30 April 1979 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a British professional racing driver.[1] He has competed in such series as the FIA GT Championship, the British GT Championship and Formula Renault V6 Eurocup, and is best known as the winner of the 2016 Blancpain Endurance Series with Shane van Gisbergen and Côme Ledogar. He has also won the Winter Series of Formula Renault UK in both 2001 and 2002.

Robert Bell
Bell on the podium at Donington Park
NationalityBritish
Born (1979-04-30) 30 April 1979
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
British GT Championship career
Debut season2018
Current teamBalfe Motorsport
Car number22
Starts12
Wins1
Poles2
Best finish3rd in 2019
Previous series
2017International GT Open
Championship titles
2001
2002
2007
2008
Formula Renault UK (Winter)
Formula Renault UK (Winter)
Le Mans Series (GT2 class)
Le Mans Series (GT2 class)
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years20072011, 2013, 2015 -
TeamsTeam LNT
Virgo Motorsport
JMW Motorsport
Best finish23rd (2007, 2009)
Class wins0

Bell was the Le Mans Series GT2 class champion for Virgo Motorsport in the 2007 and 2008 seasons, and vice-champion for JMW in 2009 and 2011. In 2009 he also finished 7th at the FIA GT Championship GT2 class for CRS Racing, collecting a 2nd place at the 24 Hours of Spa. Since 2012, Bell has competed at the Blancpain Endurance Series Pro Cup class with a McLaren MP4-12C for Gulf Racing UK.

Bell also finished 2nd in the GT class at the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona as a Paul Miller Racing driver. He returned to the team for the 2012 12 Hours of Sebring, resulting 5th in the GT class.

Bell competed in the 2019 British GT alongside Shaun Balfe in a McLaren 720S GT3.[2] He finished third in the GT3 standings after winning at the final round at Donington Park.

Bell at the wheel of a McLaren 720S GT3 in the lead of the race at Donington Park.

His faster brother Matt also races Internationally in GT3 and LM prototypes.

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2007 Team LNT Lawrence Tomlinson
Richard Dean
Panoz Esperante GT-LM GT2 308 22nd 5th
2008 Virgo Motorsport Tim Mullen
Tim Sugden
Ferrari F430 GT2 GT2 289 DNF DNF
2009 JMW Motorsport Andrew Kirkaldy
Tim Sugden
Ferrari F430 GT2 GT2 320 23rd 4th
2010 JMW Motorsport Tim Sugden
Bryce Miller
Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2 GT2 71 DNF DNF
2011 JMW Motorsport Tim Sugden
Xavier Maassen
Ferrari 458 Italia GTC GTE
Pro
290 24th 9th
2013 Aston Martin Racing Frédéric Makowiecki
Bruno Senna
Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT2 GTE
Pro
248 DNF DNF
2015 Aston Martin Racing Darren Turner
Stefan Mücke
Aston Martin Vantage GTE GTE
Pro
110 DNF DNF
2016 Clearwater Racing Keita Sawa
Weng Sun Mok
Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 GTE
Am
329 30th 4th
2017 TF Sport Salih Yoluc
Euan Hankey
Aston Martin Vantage GTE GTE
Am
329 35th 7th

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
2013 Aston Martin Racing LMGTE Pro Aston Martin Vantage GTE Aston Martin 4.5 L V8 SIL SPA
2
LMS
Ret
SÃO
Ret
COA FUJ SHA BHR 24th 19
2015 Aston Martin Racing LMGTE Pro Aston Martin Vantage GTE Aston Martin 4.5 L V8 SIL SPA
5
LMS NÜR COA FUJ SHA BHR 11th* 10*

* Season still in progress.

Complete FIA GT Series results

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Points
2013 Hexis Racing McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Pro NOG
QR
NOG
CR
ZOL
QR
ZOL
CR
ZAN
QR
ZAN
CR
SVK
QR
SVK
CR
NAV
QR
NAV
CR
BAK
QR

3
BAK
CR

3
NC 0‡

 — Guest driver – Not eligible for points.

Complete British GT Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pos Points
2018 Balfe Motorsport McLaren 650S GT3 GT3 OUL
1

8
OUL
2

12
ROC
1

Ret
SNE
1

SNE
2

SIL
1

8
SPA
1

Ret
BRH
1

DON
1

17th 10
2019 Balfe Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 GT3 OUL
1

WD
OUL
2

WD
SNE
1

31
SNE
2

3
SIL
1

11
DON
1

2
SPA
1

4
BRH
1

2
DON
1

1
3rd 126
2020 Balfe Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 GT3 OUL
1

OUL
2

DON
1

DON
2

BRH
1

DON
1

SNE
1

SNE
2

SIL
1

Ret
NC† 0†

† Not eligible for points.

References

  1. Driver Biography – Rob Bell
  2. "Balfe Motorsport To Race 720S GT3 In British GT". Dailysportscar. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Alex Buncombe
Katsumasa Chiyo
Wolfgang Reip
Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup
Champion

2016
With: Côme Ledogar
and Shane van Gisbergen
Succeeded by
Mirko Bortolotti
Andrea Caldarelli
Christian Engelhart


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