Added to Bentley factory effort for July’s race

Bentley Motorsport announced Friday its full lineup for the Total 24 Hours of Spa, which includes K-PAX Racing driver Rodrigo Baptista. Baptista, who is in his second-consecutive season with the team, will help pilot one of Bentley’s four second-generation Continental GT3s for the historic endurance race.

“I am very pleased to be invited by M-Sport to race in the 2019 24 Hours of Spa as a factory driver,” Baptista said. “This is a very important race for Bentley, especially during their 100-year celebration. I will do my best to reach the result they are looking for and to work as a team.”

Baptista will join Callum Macleod and Seb Morris of Team Parker Racing, which also upgraded to the second-generation Continental GT3 ahead of the 2019 race season. The young Brazilian talent has competed in the race before, helping the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT finish 12^th in 2016. From his experience, Baptista said, “it’s a super tough race where the traffic is intense.”

“Keeping the car safe is the key to this 24-hour race,” Baptista said. “I am well-prepared to do it and looking forward to bring a good result for the team. I want to thank M-Sport, Bentley, K-PAX Racing and all the staff for making this happen.”

Baptista, 22, has quickly solidified himself as a future championship contender. Since joining K-PAX Racing in 2018, he has proven his ability to compete against the best in the Pro Class. K-PAX Racing Program Manager Darren Law, who has helped mentor Baptista since 2017, said, “he has proven his ability as a driver.”

“I am really proud of the progression we have seen in Rodrigo,” Law said. “He joined our program in 2017 in the GT4 class and showed such potential – so much that we felt he was ready for GT3. Last season he proved us right by winning races and having several podium finishes. He has proven his ability in the car as a driver and out of the car in working with his co-drivers and engineer.”

“To have an opportunity to drive for a factory is every driver’s dream. This is a rare opportunity, and he deserves to be in that seat. We are thankful Bentley has asked him to join them for this race.”

Also slated to start in the 24 Hours of Spa are Bentley factory drivers Andy Soucek and Max Soulet. Both Soucek and Soulet share driving duties in the U.S. with K-PAX Racing.

“Our relationship with Bentley Motorsport continues to grow and evolve, and we are very grateful for their support and trust in us,” Law said. “This opportunity is not only for our driver but also for our team. The new Continental GT3 is a phenomenal car and this is a great opportunity to showcase its ability in a very prestigious endurance event.”

About K-PAX Racing
Based in Sonoma, Calif., K-PAX Racing has celebrated a total 125 podiums, 53 wins, four Driver Championships and three Manufacturer Championships, solidifying the team as a continuous championship contender. In the GT Class K-PAX has fielded Porsche 911 GT3s during the 2007 – 2008 seasons, Volvo S60s during the 2009 – 2013 seasons, McLaren 12C GT3s in 2014 and McLaren 650S GT3s from 2015 – 2017.

About Bentley Motorsport
Bentley Motorsport is based at the Bentley Motors headquarters in Crewe. From there, the operation runs Bentley Team M-Sport, and oversees customer racing operations around the world.

The Continental GT3 is built by the Bentley motorsport team in conjunction with M-Sport. The Bentley Motorsport team is led by Bentley Director of Motorsport, Brian Gush supported by M-Sport’s Chief Engineer, Christian Loriaux.

Bentley Motors’ headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s four model lines, Continental, Bentayga, Flying Spur and Mulsanne. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands.