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 | |||||||||||
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Bell on the podium at Donington Park | |||||||||||
Nationality | British | ||||||||||
Born | Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom | 30 April 1979||||||||||
British GT Championship career | |||||||||||
Debut season | 2018 | ||||||||||
Current team | Balfe Motorsport | ||||||||||
Car number | 22 | ||||||||||
Starts | 12 | ||||||||||
Wins | 1 | ||||||||||
Poles | 2 | ||||||||||
Best finish | 3rd in 2019 | ||||||||||
Previous series | |||||||||||
2017 | International 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) | ||||||||||
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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.
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
- Driver Biography – Rob Bell
- "Balfe Motorsport To Race 720S GT3 In British GT". Dailysportscar. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
External links
- Official website
- Robert Bell career summary at DriverDB.com
Sporting positions | ||
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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 |