Team Bentley after one hour

Le Mans, 14th June 2003, 5.00pm... After one hour of racing Team Bentley's Speed 8 prototypes have set a blistering early pace, driving away from the rest of the field at between two to three seconds a lap.

Both cars are currently performing faultlessly with Dindo Capello (number 7) and Johnny Herbert (number 8) double stinting without needing to change their Michelin tyres and sticking to their pre-planned race pace.

Some concern was expressed when team technicians were seen working on the rear suspension of the number 7 car on the grid immediately before the race, but this was merely a precautionary check to make sure the rear ride height had settled properly after the exploratory laps.

'I'm very relieved to have finally started the race and that the start was dry,' commented Bentley Motorsport director Brian Gush. 'The cars are both running smoothly and the race is going to plan. Of course these are early days in a very long race but we couldn't have hoped for a better start.