Open-wheel teams consider Blancpain GT entries

A joint venture between the Comtec and Virtuosi UK single-seater teams is set to put a Nissan on the grid of the Blancpain Sprint Series before the end of the season.

The two teams, which compete in Formula Renault 3.5 and Auto GP, respectively, plan to race at least one Nissan GT-R NISMO in two late-season rounds of the BSS ahead of a full two-car program in 2015 that could encompass selected rounds of the sister Blancpain Endurance Series.

Virtuosi boss Andy Roche, whose team entered a car in three Auto GP events in conjunction with Comtec in 2013, said: "The aim is start in the BES this season: we're going to try to run two cars, but we'll definitely be out with one."

Virtuosi and Comtec have already tested four drivers in conjunction with JRM, which has co-developed the GT3 Nissan together with NISMO, with a view to driving for the new setup.

The drivers who have tested at Brands Hatch and Silverstone over the past two weeks are: GP3 racer Paul Varhaug, who finished runner-up with Virtuosi in Auto GP in 2012; Nikolay Martsenko, who started the season with Comtec in Formula Renault 3.5; Austrian GT championship driver Nathan Antunes; and Liam Venter, who raced in Formula 3 Open in 2013.

Roche added that further drivers will be tested in the coming weeks.