Strakka Racing has confirmed it will take a break from the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2017, favouring a move into the Blancpain GT Series.
Strakka has raced in the WEC's LMP2 class through 2016, but had been evaluating a move up into the LMP1 privateer class for 2017, only for the technical regulations to be issued too late.
After a tough season that saw Strakka end its WEC campaign two races early due to ongoing engine issues, the team has now announced it will not be returning to the championship next year.
Instead, the British squad will enter the Blancpain GT Series with four McLaren GT 650S GT3 cars, becoming a McLaren customer race team.
"Creating this partnership with such an esteemed brand as McLaren is, for me, the most exciting chapter and proud moment in Strakka’s ten year history,” Strakka team founder Nick Leventis said.
“We are now working with one of the most successful and prestigious GT3 manufacturers with a commitment to build a long term future together.
"Alongside the opportunity to work closely with a manufacturer such as McLaren GT and join its portfolio of winning customer teams challenging for race victories and championships, we will also support the development of McLaren GT’s Academy Driver programme via our Strakka Performance and Simulation programmes.
"Nurturing young talent is something Strakka has always been passionate about and this partnership will enable us to use our resources to help such drivers develop. As we know first-hand, aspiring drivers face difficulties raising budgets to compete on the single seater ladder and more and more are turning to GTs."
Despite stepping back from the WEC for 2017, Strakka team principal Dan Walmsley confirmed that a return to the series in the future is already being planned.
"The regs came too late to get a P1L car ready for 2017 and to stay in the championship next year would have meant acquiring a P2 car," Walmsley said.
"It is a fantastic championship so expect to see us back racing there again."
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