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Single Ginetta entry to return to WEC LMP1 grid at Fuji

The CEFC TRSM Racing LMP1 team will return to the World Endurance Championship at Fuji next month with a single Ginetta G60-LT-P1.

Oliver Rowland, Alex Brundle and Mike Simpson are the nominated drivers for the #6 Ginetta entry for the Japanese event, with Simpson moving across from the #5 car - which is absent from the entry list - to replace Oliver Turvey.

It will be the team's first race with AER engines after it decided to part ways with previous supplier Mecachrome in the wake of a difficult Le Mans 24 Hours.

That switch led to the team having to skip last month's Silverstone race altogether, as it missed the deadline to apply to the FIA Endurance Committee for dispensation for a model change.

Ginetta's return from its Silverstone absence bumps the LMP1 entry for Fuji up to nine cars, and the total entry to 35.

The ByKolles squad has not yet confirmed who will partner regular driver Oliver Webb for the event, after it ran part-time IndyCar racer Rene Binder at Silverstone.

Matevos Isaakyan will return to SMP Racing's #17 BR Engineering BR1 after skipping Silverstone to focus on the European Le Mans Series race at the British venue.

Pietro Fittipaldi will also make his return to the DragonSpeed squad for the first time since breaking both legs in a heavy crash during qualifying for the season-opening Spa race, replacing Renger van der Zande in the #10 BR1.

The Fuji entry list confirms Augusto Farfus will not race for BMW in Japan as he prioritises the DTM season finale at Hockenheim. His place in the #82 M8 GTE will be taken by Tom Blomqvist.

Loic Duval is also skipping Fuji to race at Hockenheim for Audi, and will be replaced in the #28 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 by Jean-Eric Vergne.

Zdroj: autosport.com