Hartley joins Action Express for Sebring

Defending IMSA Prototype champion team Action Express Racing has added to its depth by signing former Porsche LMP1 world champion and Le Mans winner Brendon Hartley to drive the No. 5 Cadillac DPi-V.R at Sebring.

The New Zealander will fill the newly-vacant seat of Christian Fittipaldi, who retired from the cockpit after January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Kiwi will partner with AXR’s Joao Barbosa and Filipe Albuquerque.

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“With Christian deciding to retire, we needed to find another driver who is fast and a great team player, and Brendon has a great background and attitude that should be a great match with Joao and Filipe,” said team manager Gary Nelson.  “We’ve followed Brendon through the years since we first saw him race so well in Grand-Am, so we are glad that it worked out for him to join us at Sebring.”

Winners of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with the No. 5 entry in 2015, AXR will look to rebound after a somewhat disappointing run at Daytona with the black and gold Cadillac. Finishing seventh in the DPi class, the full-time duo of Barbosa and Albuquerque hold seventh in the championship standings, trailing Rolex 24 winners Wayne Taylor Racing in first, and the sister AXR No. 31 Cadillac DPi-V.R in second.