Bentleys dominated the Le Mans 24 Hours in the 1920s. And the story goes on. It’s written by people like Katarina Kyvalova, competing at this year’s Le Mans Classic in her lovingly restored vintage 4 1/2 litre Bentley. Her passion for racing never sleeps.
Just like those original Bentley Boys, she drives her magnificent 1928 car from London through France to Le Mans, then races it. A historic Bentley, still writing more history. The Le Mans Classic meeting draws 200,000 spectators. Each era of cars runs three races over the weekend, including one at night. It’s an intense challenge for the machine, and testament to the strength and precision that Bentley engineered into it nearly a century ago.
Driving a vintage treasure to its limits on a track demands skill, strength and no little courage. You need muscles and finesse for the giant steering wheel. Upshifts are a double-declutch foot dance, and downshifts more complicated again. Brakes demand anticipation. To get all that dead right is a bonding process. As Katarina puts it, “The Bentley and me, we’re some kind of unit.”
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