Rebellion Racing has confirmed that Toyota LMP1 driver Stephane Sarrazin will join the team for January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The Frenchman will partner the previously announced Sebastien Buemi, Nick Heidfeld and Neel Jani in an ORECA-Gibson 07 LMP2 car.
The star-studded driver lineup – carrying a combined total of 12 World Endurance Championship race victories and featuring two world champions in Buemi and Jani – will make the Anglo-Swiss team an instant favourite for overall honours.
“I am very happy to be part of this new challenge with Rebellion Racing at Daytona, one of the biggest endurance race events,” said Sarrazin.
“I look forward to start with the team and the new car. The driver line-up is high level and I think we have all the assets to do a good job.”
“I am delighted to discover and work with Neel Jani, I know Nick well, we had a very good relationship when we were teammates in Formula E, and with Sébastien we know each other well, we are very close at Toyota.”
“I have already competed at the 24 Hours of Daytona, it’s a difficult race, demanding in terms of strategy and where everything is possible, even a quarter of an hour from the end.”
Sarrazin has plenty of experience racing in North America, with three Petit Le Mans victories to his name.
His most recent appearance at the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona was in 2013 when he shared an 8 Star Motorsports-entered Corvette DP with Pedro Lamy, Nicolas Minassian, Anthony Davidson and Enzo Potolicchio. The quintet failed to finish on that occasion.
Rebellion Racing will take part in the 2017 North American Endurance Cup, which comprises the four main endurance rounds of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.
Bart Hayden’s team is aiming to win the Daytona enduro at the first attempt.
The 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona will take place on January 28-29, following the ‘Roar’ open test session three weeks prior.
