19-year-old French racer Thomas Laurent will drive a Toyota TS050 Hybrid at the the World Endurance Championship LMP1 rookie test in Bahrain next month.
Laurent, a winner of this year's LMP2 category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is the first driver to be confirmed for the annual day of running after the 6 Hours of Bahrain season closer.
The 2016 Road to Le Mans champion currently leads the WEC LMP2 points standings in his first campaign with Jackie Chan DC Racing team-mates Oliver Jarvis and Ho-Pin Tung.
“This test in the Toyota TS050 HYBRID, a prototype from the top category of endurance racing, is a great reward for the brilliant progress Thomas Laurent has made in his career," said ACO president Pierre Fillon.
"After beginning in karting in 2005, at 19 years of age Thomas Laurent – who finished second overall at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning the LMP2 category – is climbing up the stairway of endurance racing put in place by the ACO and demonstrating its effectiveness. Well done to Thomas for having been awarded this rookie test!”
The remaining spots on the test will be granted to the top three finishers in this year's Formula V8 3.5 series, which supports the WEC bill.
The champion will drive a Porsche 919 Hybrid, the runner up an ORECA 07 LMP2, and the third-placed driver the GTE-Pro car that wins this year's world championship.
Each 'rookie' will complete 30 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit, and will be joined by other WEC teams as part of a five-hour open session.
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