Team Parker Racing have been confirmed as the official customer team for Bentley in the 2018 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.
Entering a Bentley Continental GT3 with Josh Caygill and Árón Taylor-Smith, the team will take on all five rounds of the series.
Caygill already has a year of experience under his belt in the Endurance series and a number of years racing in the Audi Sport TT Cup, but this season will mark his first experience of the Bentley.
Taylor-Smith will make his GT3 debut after spending seven years in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship, picking up four victories during his tenure.
“Following last season’s title-winning campaign with the Continental GT3 we are delighted to see Team Parker Racing now also representing Bentley in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup,” said Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush.
“With M-Sport’s focus switching to the second-generation car’s development in the Endurance Cup and Intercontinental GT Challenge it was important that Bentley retained a presence in the shorter Sprint format, and Team Parker Racing’s proven experience of this in British GT made them ideal candidates.”
Both drivers recently completed a test at Navarra in Spain ahead of the season opening at Zolder in Belgium on 6-8 April.
“We’ve already enjoyed a very productive two-day test at Navarra where I got to know the team and Árón, and also sampled the Continental GT3 for the first time,” said Caygill.
“There’s a really good atmosphere within the team, which is very positive and I am sure we are going to have a great year. Both myself and Árón are already working well together; it’s great to have such a competitive team-mate that you can push and measure yourself against.
“I was also blown away with the Bentley and how comfortable I felt driving it from day one. I know from first-hand experience how competitive the Blancpain GT Series is, but I’m also looking forward to the shorter Sprint races where it’s even more cut and thrust than Endurance.
“Árón’s BTCC background is well suited to that style of racing, while my recent touring car experience should also prove useful.”
Árón Taylor-Smith was delighted with the deal after announcing previously that he was stepping away from touring car racing to contentrate on sportscars.
“Joining Team Parker Racing’s Bentley programme is literally a dream come true and represents a milestone moment in my career,” said Taylor-Smith.
“We completed our first test two weeks ago and it’s already apparent that everyone within the team is dedicated to achieving success. I feel extremely lucky to be learning from some of the best, while in the few days I’ve spent getting to know Josh it’s also become clear how fast and dedicated he is.
“I’m genuinely really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together this year as I embark on a new chapter in GT racing.
“The car is a big step forward from what I’ve driven in the past and I think that’s what excites me the most.
“The opportunity to further myself as a driver is something that I am really looking forward to.”
