Team Bentley's quest for a first Le Mans 24 Hour title in nearly 75 years began well Saturday, with both of its Speed 8 prototype cars dominating the race's early stages while archrival Audi lost one of its three cars to gas troubles.
Bentley has not won the world famous race since 1930, the last of five titles in the golden era of the flamboyant "Bentley Boys."
PHOTO: AFP
But, as night fell over western France, Bentley car No. 7, piloted by Britain's Guy Smith, led the field in the grueling 13.8km circuit.
Smith took over from Denmark's Tom Kristensen in the No.7 car, after roughly 70 laps. Kristensen, chasing a record fourth straight Le Mans triumph, said he felt tired but elated following his team's dominant start.
"It's very, very hard with the heat," he told The Associated Press. "But we're very happy with how things are going.
"We struggled a bit with the thin [Michelin] tires, which were not gripping that well on the hot track. But we're in good shape and feeling confident."
Bentley's No.8 car, with Britain's Johnny Herbert at the wheel, was in second place, about one lap behind No.7.
Audi -- winner for the past three years -- suffered an early blow when driver Frank Biela of Germany -- a three-time Le Mans winner -- spun off into the track-side grass in the No.10 car.
Organizers confirmed the car had run out of gas.
The No.10 car -- which had started in third place on the grid and made strong early challenges to Bentley -- was unable to continue. Biela paced up and down furiously, before accepting that his challenge was over. Joining Biela for an early rest were No.10's other drivers -- the former Formula driver Mika Salo of Finland and Britain's Perry McCarthy -- neither of whom had yet taken the wheel.
Audi's two other cars, No.5 and No.6, remained in the hunt in third and fourth places respectively, but behind front-runners Bentley.
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