Sirotkin set to sub for Button in WEC

WEC

Ex-williams Formula 1 driver Sergey Sirotkin is set to make at least two World Endurance Championship outings with the SMP Racing LMP1 team this year.

Sirotkin, who could make his WEC LMP1 race debut as soon as March’s Sebring 1000 Miles in the Russian squad’s #11 BR Engineering BR1, would replace Jenson Button, who is skipping Sebring and the following event at Spa due to his clashing Super GT commitments with Honda.

While Button will be back for the 2018-19 season-closing Le Mans 24 Hours, Sirotkin – who made his debut in the race in 2017 in an LMP2 Dallara for SMP – said he would be “for sure” returning to the French classic in June, raising the prospect of a further shuffle of the SMP line-up.

“WEC is not even an option, it is almost an obligation,” Sirotkin told Autosport. “I can almost guarantee you that you’ll see me racing in WEC next year. I think it’s clear for which team and in which car. Maybe even from Sebring onwards, and Le Mans for sure.”

Meanwhile, Audi has confirmed that it will retain all six of its 2018 DTM works drivers – Team Rosberg pair Rene Rast and Jamie Green, Abt Sportsline duo Nico Muller and Robin Frijns, and Team Phoenix pair Mike Rockenfeller and Loic Duval – for this season. This would mean that Sirotkin, who says DTM is an option after testing for the new privateer WRT Audi squad at Jerez, would likely line up with the Belgian team if he does compete in the series.