Ex-F1 racer Giedo van der Garde could make return in GT3 Bentley
Former Caterham Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde could return to racing at the wheel of a Bentley GT3 car this season
The Dutchman, who admitted that his F1 career was effectively over after taking Sauber to court in March in a contractual dispute, tested a Bentley Continental GT3 for the HTP Motorsport squad at Hockenheim this week.
He could find a berth with the factory-supported team in late-season rounds of the ADAC GT Masters series in Germany.
Team boss Norbert Bruckner told AUTOSPORT: "We tested him on Tuesday at Hockenheim, and he was very pleasant to work with and did enough for us to be impressed.
"And I think he enjoyed it, too.
"We would like to give him a chance in a race, and there might be an opening in GT Masters for the last two rounds."
Jules Szymkowiak, who races for HTP in the Blancpain Sprint Series, was also present at the Hockenheim test.
Van der Garde gained court orders in Switzerland and Australia against Sauber ahead of the F1 season opener in Melbourne, after claiming that that the team went back on a deal agreed for him to race in 2015.
He relinquished his right to compete in the Australian Grand Prix pending further talks and subsequently reached a out-of-court settlement with the team.
Dutchman Max van Splunteren, who joined HTP for the most recent BSS fixture at the Moscow Raceway in July, will contest the final three rounds, starting at the Algarve circuit on September 5-6, alongside Szymkowiak.
Previous article
Le Mans 24 Hours GT winner Darren Turner pens new Aston Martin deal
Next article
Jeroen Bleekemolen to drive Ram Mercedes SLS in Barcelona 24 Hours
Why Britain's greatest sportscar was eclipsed on the world stage
The E-Type may be the most famous of all road-going Jaguars, but that didn't always translate into success on the track. After winning on its competition debut in 1961, motorsport success seemed an inevitability, but things didn’t turn out to be quite that straightforward
Why the Jaguar E-type remains special at 60
It’s 60 years since the Jaguar E-type arrived and caused a sensation. As our resident racer Ben Anderson discovered when he got behind the wheel of two special racing versions at Brands Hatch, the thrill of driving them hasn't diminished over time
The rise of a GT squad responsible for a unique 24-hour racing feat
It's a significant achievement to win one 24-hour race in a year, let alone two, and with different manufacturers, but that's exactly what ROWE Racing did in 2020 at the Nurburgring and Spa. This weekend's German classic offers the DTM newcomer a chance of another unique double to add to its growing collection of accolades
The new threat facing motorsport's greatest success story
The manufacturers were unconvinced – and even hostile – when Stephane Ratel launched GT3 in 2006. Now, 15 years on from its debut, they’ve sold more than 2000 cars and counting, but its continued expansion puts the increasingly globalised category at risk of losing its roots
The Lamborghini teams plotting to stop a RAM raid on British GT
With the Silver pairings that dominated 2020 now banned, Mercedes pair Yelmer Buurman and Ian Loggie could be in the box seat after winning last year's Pro-Am crown. But a swarm of Lamborghinis, with the defending outright champion among them, will ensure they face tough opposition
How McLaren’s GT3 ‘single-seater’ defies expectations
Time in a thoroughbred racer leaves you searching for time in yourself, especially when the rewards for total commitment are so high, as our man discovered at Snetterton
How Ferrari's F1 protege became a Mercedes GT prodigy
Raffaele Marciello once appeared to be Ferrari’s next Italian F1 star, but is now under the pay of its German arch-rival in GTs – and he’s very happy with his life
Why GTE's future is a conundrum with no easy answers
The convergence between the World Endurance Championship and IMSA over LMDh regulations offers a bright future for sportscar racing, but the imminent demise of IMSA's GT Le Mans class creates wider issues to which no catch-all solution exists
