Scuderia Ferrari F1 test driver and Audi Sport reserve driver Marc Gené will compete in two FIA World Endurance Championship races for Jota Sport.
The hugely experienced driver will make his LMP2 debut with the British team, racing alongside Simon Dolan and Harry Tincknell at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Gené joins fellow Audi works driver Filipe Albuquerque at Jota Sport, with Albuquerque combining two rounds of the World Endurance Championship at Audi Sport with five European Le Mans Series races at Jota Sport.
“This is the most perfect race planning for me as it fits perfectly with my F1 commitments,” said Gené, who contested a total of 36 Grand Prix between 1999 and 2004 with both Minardi and Williams F1 teams.
“Spa and Le Mans are two of my favourite circuits. I have won three times at Spa and have been on the podium three times at Le Mans winning once. Obviously this year my targets are LMP2 class victories. I have never raced an LMP2 but I don’t see adapting to it will pose a problem especially as I know both circuits well.
“It is very kind of Audi Sport allowing me to race for Jota Sport,” he continued. “I’m present at both races as Audi’s ‘reserve’ driver so it makes sense me substituting for Filipe at Jota. Racing is very important, to keep me sharp and up to speed. I’ve not had any previous dealings with Jota Sport but everything I’ve heard about the British team is good and I’m looking forward to racing with Simon and Harry.”
In joining Jota, Gené becomes the next name in a long line of former F1 drivers and Le Mans winners to compete for the British team, placing his name alongside those of Stefan Johansson, Jan Lammers, Alex Yoong, John Neilsen and Hideki Noda.
Jota will compete in all five rounds of the ELMS in 2014 alongside the Spa and Le Mans rounds of the World Endurance Championship.
“It’s a perfect scenario for Marc racing at Spa and Le Mans to keep race fit,” concluded the head of Audi Motorsport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “The fact that he’s competing for JOTA Sport means he is with a professional, top-performing team. If Audi Sport needs him at Le Mans, this arrangement means he is race sharp and also knows the R18 e-tron quattro from testing.”
