Photo: Clement Martin/Dunlop
Rebellion Racing has confirmed a two-car full-season entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship, naming Nicolas Prost, Mathias Beche, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Bruno Senna as its four pro drivers for the pair of Oreca 07 Gibson LMP2 entries.
The quartet will be joined by two Silver-rated drivers, which will be confirmed at a later date.
Prost, Beche and Piquet have all previously driven fort the Anglo-Swiss squad in the past, while Senna makes the move from RGR Sport, having scored a pair of LMP2 wins with the Mexican team in the WEC this year.
“The team really has strived to get the most competitive lineup possible to challenge for the championship as well as winning Le Mans in LMP2,” Senna said. “Our job will be very tough with so many strong drivers and teams out there, but I’m very much looking forward to kicking things off.”
Tuesday’s news comes in addition to Rebellion’s previously announced commitment to the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup with one car.
The team is coming off a productive multi-day Dunlop tire test at Sebring, in preparation for the 2017 WEC season, which kicks off at Silverstone in April.
“We are very pleased to confirm our plans to enter two Oreca 07 LMP2 cars in the 2017 World Endurance Championship alongside our already announced entry with a single car in the IMSA North American Endurance Cup races,” said team manager Bart Hayden.
“We are also very happy that Nico, Mathias and Nelson will be driving with us again in 2017 and I would like to welcome Bruno to the Rebellion Racing Team.
“We were impressed with the Oreca 07 when we tested it in Sebring last week, it should be a good car to go for race victories and the Championship. We are putting together all the ingredients to run a strong campaign in 2017!”
The 2017 season will mark Prost’s ninth year with the team, having collected 17 LMP1 Privateer class wins and back-to-back Petit Le Mans victories in 2012-13.
“We have grown together over the years and it was clear to me that the right thing to do was to stay with Rebellion Racing in their challenge with the new LMP2 cars,” Prost said. “The competition in LMP2 is going to be very hard, but we will give everything to fight for all the races.”
Inaugural Formula E champion Piquet, meanwhile, is set for his first full-season campaign after taking part in selected rounds with the team this year.
“It’s going to be a big challenge for us in our first year with the new LMP2,” Piquet said. “I am looking forward to work with people I know from last year and to make a good championship together with the team and my teammates.”
Beche added: “The new car is fantastic to drive and the fight on the track is going to be fierce, that’s what makes us all excited.”
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