Red River Sport will join the LMP3 Cup Championship grid full-time in 2018, with Johnny Mowlem and Bonamy Grimes named as drivers.
The duo will share a Ligier JSP3-Nissan in the twelve-race championship, following on from a one-off appearance at last year’s Donington Park finale (pictured).
Their 2017 campaign also featured a run to second in the GT Cup Championship standings, followed by a second place finish in the LMP3 class of the Gulf 12 Hours.
Sportscar stalwart Mowlem, who runs the Red River Sport driver management and mentoring agency, is set to contest his 23rd full-time campaign in 2018.
The Daytona 24 and Sebring 12 Hours class winner brings a vast array of international sportscar experience to the national grid, with a career that has also included nine appearances at Le Mans in LMP1, LMP2 and GT machinery.
Having sampled the Ligier JSP3 in testing, Mowlem believes it shares some of its characteristics with the GTE-spec Ferrari in which he won the 2013 European Le Mans Series title.
“One of the things I realised quite early on is that the Ligier JS P3 had similarities to a GTE car,” said Mowlem.
“It has downforce, but it doesn’t have colossal amounts of it, and it doesn’t have ABS or traction control driver aids, so it occurred to us that introducing an LMP3 car into our Red River Sport stable alongside our Ferrari 488 GT3 would be a great teaching tool.”
“Our clients also want to be able to compete all over the world and with these cars, you can cherry-pick races which appeal to the individual.”
Grimes, meanwhile, is set for his full-time prototype racing debut, having previously competed in the GT Cup and Britcar Endurance Championship.
“The Ligier LMP3 is a great car to drive,” said Grimes.
“It has lots of grip and power and is a different challenge to the GT cars I have mostly been driving so far.”
“A full season of racing in the car on circuits I know will be really beneficial.”
The 2018 LMP3 Cup Championship begins at Donington Park on April 21-22nd.
For more information, visit the series website.
