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Fittipaldi to Test Porsche LMP1 in Bahrain After FV8 3.5 Title

Pietro Fittipaldi to test the Porsche 919 Hybrid in Sunday’s Bahrain Rookie Test as a prize for his FV8 3.5 title win…

Photo: World Series Formula V8 3.5

Pietro Fittipaldi will test the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 car during Sunday’s FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test at the Bahrain International Circuit after clinching the World Series Formula V8 3.5 title on Friday night.

FV8 3.5 joined the support bill for a number of WEC events in 2017, with an agreement being struck for the top three in the drivers’ championship to receive entries to the Rookie Test as a reward.

Fittipaldi entered the final double-header round in Bahrain leading the standings by 10 points, and was able to wrap up the championship with one race to spare after finishing second and seeing chief title rival Matevos Isaakyan fail to finish.

Fittipaldi – the grandson of two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi – will be the final driver to conduct formal running in the Porsche 919 Hybrid, with the German manufacturer closing its LMP1 program following this weekend’s season finale in Bahrain.

Isaakyan managed to clinch second in the championship with ninth place in Sunday’s season finale in Bahrain, meaning the Russian will test for the championship-winning LMP2 team on Sunday.

Vaillante Rebellion and Jackie Chan DC Racing are separated by just four points heading into the final WEC race of the year, with Signatech Alpine standing an outside chance some 23 points adrift of the lead.

Force India F1 development driver Alfonso Celis Jr. moved up to third place in the standings in the final weekend of the year following Egor Orudzhev’s withdrawal due to illness.

Celis will therefore test for whoever wins the GTE-Pro teams’ championship on Sunday in Bahrain, with AF Corse, Ford Chip Ganassi Racing and Porsche all in contention.

The remainder of the Rookie Test entry list will be published on Sunday morning ahead of the start of running at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Luke Smith is a British motorsport journalist who has served as NBC Sports’ lead Formula 1 writer since 2013, as well as working on its online sports car coverage.

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