WEC: Jota links up with G-Drive in LMP2

G-Drive Racing will defend its World Endurance Championship LMP2 title with the Jota Sport squad in a deal that also covers the British team's European Le Mans Series campaign.

Jota will run a new ORECA-Nissan 05 in the WEC and its existing Gibson-Nissan 015 in the ELMS in the colours of Russian oil brand G-Drive, which claimed last year's P2 title with the OAK Racing Ligier team.

G-Drive regular Roman Rusinov, part of the championship-winning line-up in 2015, will share the WEC entry with Nathanael Berthon, who is moving across from the ELMS in which he raced with the Murphy Prototypes squad in 2014-15.

A third driver will be announced at a later stage.

The Gibson will be raced by ex-Formula 1 driver Giedo van der Garde and team regulars Harry Tincknell and Simon Dolan, with Jack Dennis replacing Tincknell for the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Spa WEC round that it will undertake as a warm-up for the French enduro.

Jota boss Sam Hignett said: "G-Drive wanted two cars at Le Mans, so it made sense for the relationship to encompass our ELMS program as well. We're confident of a good season because we've got two of the best silver-rated drivers [one of which is mandatory in each P2 line-up] in Roman and Simon, and the silver is all-important."

Hignett revealed that he expects to have more news on a third driver for the ORECA "in the next couple of weeks".

Jota will begin testing in earnest for the WEC next week at Paul Ricard.

It has purchased two 05 coupes and both were given a shakedown on the Paul Ricard training circuit adjacent to ORECA's headquarters last month with Rusinov and Berthon driving.

Originally on Autosport.com