Profile
- Birthplace: Beverley
- Lives: Beverley, East Yorkshire
- Birthday: 12th September 1974
- Height: 5'7"
- Weight: 150lbs
- Hobbies: Swimming, running, karate
About Guy
Guy Smith enjoyed the most prestigious victory of his career in 2003, taking the chequered flag of the Le Mans 24 Hour race in car No.7, the Bentley Speed 8 of Team Bentley. Guy has been a central figure for Team Bentley's attack on both the Sebring 12hrs and the Le Mans 24hrs, partnered with six time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen and two time winner 'Dindo' Capello. After finishing 4th at Sebring in the 12hrs , the trio swept all before them at Le Mans in June to capture pole position and 1st place in the world-famous 24 Hours race. Guy was selected to pilot the car across the finish line at the end of the historic 71st running of the event to mark an emotional sixth win for Bentley.
Guy began his career in karts at age 12, earning four championships and four runner-up titles before progressing to Formula Ford competition in 1991 at the age of 17. After four successful years of Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhall, the former Autosport Young Kartist and Young Driver of the Year finalist graduated to the Formula Renault Sport Championship with nine race wins and 11 pole positions.
He won his debut race in British Formula 3 competition with a flag-to-flag victory in 1996, and finished sixth in the championship. After a partial season of Formula 3 competition the following year, Smith joined Johansson Motorsports to contest the Indy Lights series in 1998. He made an impressive debut, finishing third in the PPG Dayton Indy Lights Championship and garnering Rookie of the Year honors. In 1999, Guy joined Forsythe Championship Racing (formerly Tasman Motorsports Group) to team with Brazilian Airton Dare. Guy's other Forsythe teammates have included Champ Car and Indy Racing League drivers Tony Kanaan, Greg Moore and Patrick Carpentier. Further, Gerald Forsythe is a minority owner of BAR Formula One Team with drivers Jacques Villenueve and Jenson Button.
In 2000 Guy drove in the American Le Mans Series and a number of other sports car races with Johansson Matthews Racing. The highlights of his year were the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours race and the Le Mans 24 Hour race in which Guy claimed another "Rookie of the Year" award. Guy had also hoped to compete in the Indianapolis 500 this year and although he had been given a drive with March Racing and had completed his rookie test, the team pulled out of the race at a late hour, due to insufficient funding.
Team Bentley recognized Guy Smith's talent and speed, offering him a race seat for 2001 alongside team mates Martin Brundle and Stephane Ortelli, as they embarked on a 3-year programme to win Le Mans. In the year of Bentley's return to Le Mans, the car performed well and was running 3rd when the car broke down. Alongside this programme, Guy contested the 2001 European Le Mans Series with Stefan Johansson in the Gulf-sponsored Audi R8, notching up 3 top four finishes. Guy was also invited to drive the Reynard-Judd LMP900 car for the Monza 1000kms where he gained pole position and led the race until the brakes failed with 10 laps to go.
Bentley decided to reduce their racing programme to one car for 2002 and Guy was retained as the full-time test driver for the programme, becoming the prime development driver for the famous British marque. Bentley agreed to release him for limited other races and he gained podium positions at the 2002 Daytona 24Hrs (2nd ) and Sebring 12Hrs (3rd ) driving the works' Riley & Scott Mk.111. Success eluded Bentley in 2002, but the Bentley Boys returned in a two car attack in 2003, when they achieved their goal of victory in this historic, blue riband motor race.
Guy then joined the Audi UK team Veloqx in 2004 racing in both the Sebring 12hrs and the Le Mans 24hrs. Guy was partnered by Brits Johnny Herbert and Jamie Davies and they finished a strong 3rd place at Sebring and Guy came so close to Winning a second straight Le Mans only to be denied by a Mechanical failure early on Sunday morning while leading and loosing the lead to the Audi team Goh car Guy and co drivers chased the Team Goh car down to the Chequered flag missing out on the win by a mere 40 seconds!
Guy has been racing for Dyson racing since 2005 partnering American Chris Dyson. The duo finished 4th in the 2005 Sebring 12hrs and 2nd overall in the 'Petit Le Mans' at Road Atlanta.
Guy scored 10 top 5 finishes in the 2006 season and recorded 2 lap records at Mosport and Road America to end the season in 4th place in the LMP1 Championship.
2007 was an exciting year for Dyson racing with the arrival of two brand new Porsche RS Spyders. Chris and Guy finished in 4th place in the Championship.
In 2008 Guy was again at the wheel of the Porsche RS Spyder in the American Le Mans series for Dyson racing again finishing in 4th place in the championship. He also finished 4th in the LMP 2 class at Le Mans for the ASM team in a Lola- AER
2009 saw Guy continue with Dyson racing who ran the works BP Mazda team in the LMP 2 class of the American Le Mans series.
2010 saw Guy continue with the Castrol Mazda team making it his 5th full season with Dyson racing. Guy scored pole positions at Laguna Seca and Road Atlanta and recorded his first ALMS win at Mid Ohio.
This year Guy will continue his relationship with Dyson racing in their G Oil sponsored Lola-Mazda LMP 1 car both Chris and Guy will be fighting hard to win their first LMP1 championship.
