Russian squad SMP Racing has confirmed its presence on the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup grid for 2017 with a return to the Pro category for the first time since 2013.
The team will field a single Ferrari 488 GTE at all five rounds on the calendar, including the Spa 24 Hours.
Ferrari GT driver Davide Rigon and DTM race winner Miguel Molina will team up with SMP Racing stalwart Victor Shaitar for the full-season effort.
The trio are present at Paul Ricard this week taking part in the official Blancpain test days.
The return to the Pro category marks a significant watershed in SMP Racing's sporting history: having started out in 2013 with a pair of Ferrari 458s run by AF Corse, Boris Rotenberg's squad has gone on to establish itself as a winning force on the endurance racing stage.
In 2015 it achieved its best result to date with victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, before going on to win the World Endurance Championship GTE-Am class later that year.
"We can say that returning to Blancpain in 2017, we have returned to our origins," said Rotenberg.
"In 2013, it all began for us in this series and also with the Ferrari. During the existence of the programme the level of our athletes has grown significantly, so Victor Shaitar has already won Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series, and the GT3 Le Mans Cup, all with Ferrari."
"I look forward to the launch of the Blancpain season and the first results of the crew at #72 – the composition of the drivers is strong."
SMP Racing's first season as a Pro outfit featured a pair of Ferrari 458s, although they only contested the opening three rounds of the season.
The following year signaled a change of direction, in the form of a switch to an LMP2 programme in the WEC. A collaboration with Rotenberg's BR Engineering resulted in the fabrication of Russia's first prototype racer – the BR01 – which tooks podiums in Europe and clinched pole at the Daytona 24 Hours.
The association with the FIA/ACO's premier sportscar competition lasted until 2016, when SMP started injecting a great deal of its resources into a new LMP1 project with renowned manufacturer Dallara. That change-up left a gap in the team's racing portfolio, but it has now been filled by the SRO-run Blancpain GT Series.
"The SMP Racing team decided to perform in the GT Pro class, and I think that the Blancpain series is the best choice," said Shaitar, who has driven with the team since its 2013 debut.
"At present it is the strongest GT championship in Europe, and, perhaps, all over the world, so I'm glad to compete in it for the Russian team."
"Judging by the number of participants, the number of cars, and the names of the drivers, this will be a challenging season. I am pleased to be in the same car with David Rigon and Miguel Molina."
"Of course, I'm waiting for the first race, but before that I still need to get into form a little, because the break was long. On these tests I am just training, trying to get used to the car."
Ferrari works driver Rigon brings a wealth of experience to the team, having finished second in the World Endurance Championship GTE-Pro standings last year.
Molina, meanwhile, will make his debut both with the team and for Ferrari, although he does have limited Blancpain experience owing to his ties with Audi in DTM.
"The dream of any driver is to race a Ferrari in a strong team," said Molina.
"I'm very happy to join SMP Racing, a program that actively develops Russian motorsport, and we, with our international team, will do everything to get results. I look forward to the start of the first race at Monza!"
The trio will join 56 other entries for the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup opener next month (April 23). A total of 37 cars, including the SMP Ferrari, make up the Pro category, with 11 manufacturers represented across the board.
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