Robert Bell (racing driver)

(Redirected from Rob 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.

Rob Bell
Bell on the podium at Donington Park
Nationality British
Born (1979-04-30) 30 April 1979 (age 45)
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom
British GT Championship career
Debut season2018
Current teamBalfe Motorsport
Racing licence FIA Platinum
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 brother Matt also races internationally in GT3 and LM prototypes.

Racing record

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24 Hours of Le Mans results

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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

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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
Ret
NÜR COA FUJ SHA BHR 24th 10

Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Class Make Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank Points
2014 SRT Motorsports GTLM SRT Viper GTS-R Dodge 8.0L V10 DAY
6
SEB
2
LBH
LGA
WGL
MOS
IMS
ELK
VIR
COT
PET
6
20th 85

Complete FIA GT Series results

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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

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(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†
2022 Fox Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 GT3 OUL
1

OUL
2

SIL
1

DON
1

9
SNE
1

SNE
2

SPA
1

BRH
1

DON
1

29th 3
2023 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 GT3 OUL
1

7
OUL
2

10
SIL
1

3
DON
1

8
SNE
1

3
SNE
2

11
ALG
1

2
BRH
1

7
DON
1

10th 86.5

† Not eligible for points.
* Season still in progress.

Complete Asian Le Mans Series results

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

Year Team Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 Pos. Points
2023 Garage 59 GT McLaren 720S GT3 McLaren M840T 4.0 L Turbo V8 DUB
1

12
DUB
2

5
ABU
1

11
ABU
2

10
13th 11
2024 Optimum Motorsport GT McLaren 720S GT3 McLaren M840T 4.0 L Turbo V8 SEP
1

17
SEP
2

3
DUB
6
ABU
1

3
ABU
2

14
5th 38

References

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  1. ^ "Driver Biography – Rob Bell". Archived from the original on 3 January 2010. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Balfe Motorsport To Race 720S GT3 in British GT". Dailysportscar. 6 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup
Champion

2016
With: Côme Ledogar
and Shane van Gisbergen
Succeeded by