SPORTSCAR STALWART BELL RETIRES FOR NEW ROLE IN MCLAREN MANAGEMENT RESHUFFLE

McLaren’s Formula E team principal Ian James also takes on a new role within the Automotive arm of the Woking-based manufacturerSportscar stalwart Rob Bell is retiring from racing to take up a management role within McLaren Automotive’s motorsport arm.The winner of two Le Mans Series class titles and the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup will become sporting director as part of a management reshuffle in which McLaren Formula E boss Ian James will assume responsibility for the road car company’s GT and one-make racing activities.Bell, 45, is hanging up his helmet after 13 seasons as a McLaren factory driver during which time he won the Blancpain title in 2016 driving a 650S GT3 fielded by the factory Garage 59 squad.“I’m stepping down as a McLaren factory driver and definitely retiring from professional racing, though I’m not ruling out the odd one-off,” Bell told Motorsport.com.“I’m really happy with my decision: I’ve had some good times, enjoyed it a lot and had some decent success, so I’ve ticked a lot of boxes.“I always said to myself that 45 would be a good age to stop, so long as I had something else to do. The stars have aligned at McLaren to allow it to happen the way I wanted.”Bell has revealed that “the race track will primarily be my office” and that one of his key roles will be liaising with McLaren’s customers in the GT3 and GT4 categories as well as the one-make Trophy series, which is expanding into North America next year.“It is a big step-change for me and I know that there is a lot of hard work ahead,” he said.“I’m looking forward to working with Ian and receiving his guidance. I’ve got to know him over the past three or four months and I have been really impressed.”Bell cited the 2016 Blancpain title, won in partnership with Shane van Gisbergen and Come Ledogar, as the most significant achievement of his career.“That was my biggest success because the series was so competitive,” he explained. “But in terms of memories the fondest ones are probably from my time driving for Jim McWhirter.”