Piquet Joins Rebellion for Early Season WEC Races

Photo: Rebellion Racing

Reigning FIA Formula E champion Nelson Piquet Jr. will join Rebellion Racing for the first three rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Anglo-Swiss squad announced on Monday.

The 30-year-old Brazilian will join full-season drivers Nick Heidfeld and Nicolas Prost at the wheel of the No. 12 Rebellion R-One AER, beginning with the official pre-season Prologue test at Paul Ricard later this month.

Piquet fills the seat of Mathias Beche, who has been loaned out to Thiriet by TDS Racing for Le Mans, as well as the full European Le Mans Series season in LMP2.

It will mark Piquet’s second Le Mans start after claiming a fourth place class finish in GT1 in 2006, at the wheel of an Aston Martin DBR9.

“I am thrilled to be joining Rebellion Racing for several races this season including, of course, the Le Mans 24 Hours,” Piquet said.

“That race is one of the most special motorsport events in the world and I loved it so much when I raced there in 2006 that it has been very high on my list ever since to do it again.

“I couldn’t be happier than to be doing it with such a great team and together with Nico [Prost] and Nick [Heidfeld] as my teammates.

“I can’t wait to get in the car at Paul Ricard later this month to begin our preparations.”

Team owner Bart Hayden added: “As the reigning Formula E champion, Nelson has been racing against Nico and Nick, but now the three of them will be partnering together in one car for Rebellion Racing and we are confident that they will be strong teammates.”

Dominik Kraihamer, Alexandre Imperatori and Mathéo Tuscher will all return to the team’s No. 13 Rebellion R-One for the entire nine-round championship, which kicks off at Silverstone in April.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John