Jani joins FF Dragon Racing

Porsche LMP1 driver Neel Jani will move into Formula E next season with Faraday Future Dragon Racing.

The Swiss, who combined with Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016, will replace Loic Duval as Jerome d'Ambrosio's teammate.

"We are thrilled to welcome Neel, who will pilot our number 6 entry in Season 4" said Jay Penske, team owner and principal of Dragon Racing.

"As a team, we have set our target of winning races and competing for the championship in the coming season, and Neel was an essential component of that equation. When you look at the best drivers in the world, from both a racing and car development perspective, Neel is at the top of the list. He's an excellent fit within our program."

The announcement marks the first move in what is expected to be a lively off-season for the all-electric championship. Jani's availability is due in no small part to Porsche's decision to abandon its prototype program in favor of a Formula E effort of its own, while Mercedes will make a similar switch from DTM. Neither will enter the championship until the 2018/19 season, however the surge of manufacturer interest has added to the championship's allure for drivers. Other than FFDR, only Renault e.dams has its line-up locked down for the upcoming season, with Sebastien Buemi and Nico Prost set to remain.

"I am thrilled to join the Faraday Future Dragon Racing team in the next season of the FIA Formula E Championship," said Jani. "I've recently tested the PENSKE EV-2 powered by Faraday Future and look forward to building my knowledge and experience with the team, and competing in the acclaimed electric racing series."

Jani is the first member of the current Porsche LMP1 line-up to confirm his post-WEC plans.