Steven Kane

Steven Kane is a British racing driver who serves as one of Bentley Motorsport factory drivers in GT racing competitions.

He joined Bentley in 2014. Previously, Kane competed in different open-wheel, touring car and sports car championships.

Steven Kane

McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year in 2001

Born in June 1980 in Newtownards in Northern Ireland, Steven Kane became a professional racer in 2000. Next year, he clinched his first championship title by winning the British Formula Ford Zetec Junior Championship.

He was absolutely dominant in the series, taking twelve podiums in twelve races, including eight wins. Such a performance earned him a McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year award. A part of a prize was also a test with McLaren F1 team.

Three seasons in Formula Three

In 2002, Kane raced part-time in the Formula Renault 2.0 UK and then moved to the British Formula 3 Championship in 2003. Driving a Dallara-Honda for T-Sport, he finished second in Scholarship Class, losing a title to EJ Viso.

In 2004, his main competition was the Spanish Formula 3 Championship, in which he finished in the third place. He returned to British F3 in 2005, driving for Promatecme and finishing ninth in overall standings.

Steven Kane as Formula 3 driver

One season in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series

In 2006, Kane joined Spanish team Epsilon Euskadi team in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, a ladder series just one step below Formula One.

He raced against some of the future F1 stars (Pastor Maldonado, Sebastian Vettel), finishing 20th in the points. In seventeen races, Kane's best result was the fourth place at Zolder. It was his last season in formula racing, next year he switched to GT cars.

Seven victories in the British Porsche Carrera Cup

In 2007, Kane spent a full season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain with Motorbase Performance. He was among the front-runners, winning seven races, most of all drivers, to finish third in the points, behind James Sutton and Tim Harvey. Three drivers were separated by just four points.

That year, Kane also made a guest appearance in the British round of the Porsche Supercup at Silverstone, finishing in 15th place.

Steven Kane's BMW in 2010 BTCC season

Two seasons in the British Touring Car Championship

In 2008, Kane stayed with Motorbase Performance but moved to the British Touring Car Championship. He was driving the #24 BMW 320si, scoring three podiums to finish eleventh in the points, one position ahead of his teammate Rob Collard.

Kane was out of racing in 2009, serving as an official test driver for newly established FIA Formula Two Championship. He then rejoined Motorbase Performance in the BTCC in 2010, driving the #11 Airwaves BMW 320si. He clinched his first and only BTCC victory in the season-opening round at Thruxton. He ended a season sixth in the overall standings and second among independents, just two points behind Tom Chilton.

Steven Kane and Humaid Al Masaood in 2011

Two North American seasons with Dyson Racing

In 2011, Kane focused on sports car racing, making a one-off appearance in the British GT Championship with Chad Racing's Ferrari and joining Dyson Racing in the American Le Mans Series. He was driving the #20 Lola-Mazda LMP1 prototype, sharing a car with Humaid Al Masaood.  They were race winners once, at Baltimore, finishing the season fifth in LMP1 standings.

In 2012, Kane rejoined Dyson Racing in just two events, sharing the #16 Lola-Mazda with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith at Sebring 12 Hours and Petit Le Mans. They were 8th overall and P1 class winners at Sebring.

One season with Nissan

In 2013, Steven Kane returned to Europe to drive the #23 Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 for JRM Racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series, with Peter Dumbreck as his full-time co-driver. Scoring one podium, at Circuit Paul Ricard, they finished 8th in the points. Kane also raced with Nissan in one round of the ADAC GT Masters.

In December 2013, Kane recorded his first race with M-Sport Bentley, partnering Guy Smith and Andy Meyrick in the #7 Bentley Continental GT3 at Gulf 12 Hours. They finished in the fourth place.

Steven Kane joined Bentley M-Sport in 2013 and became full-time driver in 2014

Full-time Bentley Boy since 2014

In 2014, Steven Kane became full-time Bentley factory driver, one of legendary Bentley Boys. He had a double programme, driving a Bentley Continental GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series and British GT Championship. He won two BES races in the #7 Bentley, at Silverstone and Circuit Paul Ricard, sharing a car with Guy Smith and Andy Meyrick, to finish second in the final standings.

In the British GT Championship, his car was the #17 Bentley. Sharing a car with two different co-drivers, Rembert Berg and Humaid Al Masaood, he scored no wins or podiums and finished just 29th in the points.

Steven Kane in 2015

Blancpain Endurance vice-champion again in 2015

In 2015, Kane continued to share the #7 Bentley Continental GT3 with Guy Smith and Andy Meyrick. They were again Blancpain Endurance Series vice-champions after scoring two podiums, at Circuit Paul Ricard and Nurburgring.

Outside BES, they raced in several non-championship endurance races (Nurburgring 24 Hours, Sepang 12 Hours, Bathurst 12 Hour), finishing best in the fourth place at Mount Panorama.

Steven Kane and Vincent Abril

2016 – podium at Bathurst, bad season in the Blancpain GT Series

In 2016, the season started with an overall podium at Bathurst 12 Hour for Steven Kane, Guy Smith and Matt Bell in the #10 Bentley Continental GT3. Back in Europe, Kane expanded his commitments with Bentley on the entire Blancpain GT Series, including Endurance Cup and Sprint Cup.

He was sharing the #7 Bentley with Guy Smith and Vincent Abril in endurance races and just with Abril in sprint races. Kane was without wins or podiums in both competitions of the Blancpain GT Series, finishing 25th in the Endurance Cup and 24th in Sprint Cup.

A new crew in the #7 Bentley for 2018

The partnership with Guy Smith and Vincent Abril has been continued in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series. Kane and Abril finished sixth in the Sprint Cup. In the Endurance Cup, Kane was sharing the #7 Bentley with Guy Smith and Oliver Jarvis, ending a season again far from the top.

In 2018, Jules Gounon joined Steven Kane and Guy Smith in the #7 Bentley. After two rounds, Guy Smith announced a retirement and he was replaced by Jordan Pepper. A new crew reached a podium in their first race together, finishing second at Circuit Paul Ricard. It remained their only podium.

Steven Kane's #7 Bentley in 2018

Victory at Circuit Paul Ricard 1000 in 2019

In 2019, Kane stayed together with Jules Gounon and Jordan Pepper in a Bentley, changing the number to 107. It seems to be lucky number because they manage to win 1000km race at Circuit Paul Ricard.