Ex-Williams F1 racer Sergey Sirotkin will link up with SMP Racing to contest the remainder of the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship.
Sirotkin, following spells as a test driver for Sauber and Renault, secured a race seat with Williams for 2018, but his stint coincided with the team’s slump in form.
Sirotkin scored just one point when he was promoted to 10th place at the Italian Grand Prix, which came in the wake of Romain Grosjean’s post-race exclusion.
Sirotkin held out hopes of remaining with Williams into 2019 but long-term backers SMP Racing opted not to continue.
He will now link up with SMP Racing in WEC to pilot its No. 17 car at the remaining events at Sebring, Spa-Francorchamps and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Sirotkin previously raced for the team in the 2017 running of the 24-hour race at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
“I am very glad that I have the honour of defending the colours of the Russian flag on the Russian prototype as part of the Russian SMP Racing team in the World Endurance Championship,” said Sirotkin.
“We have outstanding line-ups and excellent cars, with which, I am sure, we will be able to fight for the win, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Sirotkin will link up with Stephane Sarrazin and Egor Orudzhev in the No. 17 car, replacing Matevos Isaakyan.
