Emmanuel Collard returns to ELMS with ProSpeed

Three-time outright European Le Mans Series champion Emmanuel Collard is returning to the series in the GT class with the ProSpeed Competition Porsche squad.

The Frenchman, who won the series in 2005, '06 and '11 when it was known as the Le Mans Series, will contest four of the five races, starting at Silverstone next weekend, in the Belgian team's solo GTE class Porsche 911 GT3-RSR.

The former factory Porsche driver will share the 2011-spec car with VdeV racer and one-time Spa 24 Hours starter Francois Perrodo, who has also raced under the pseudonym 'Francois Glenmor'.

The deal marks a return to ProSpeed for Collard, who raced with the team in the FIA GT Championship in 2008-09.

Collard, 42, said: "This has been all very last moment and no doubt we shall still be learning a few things at Silverstone, but I am happy to be back with Rudi [Pender's ProSpeed team boss] and racing in the ELMS."

Perrodo will be joined by Sebastien Crubile, who has raced at the 24-hour races at Dubai and Barcelona, for round two of the ELMS at Imola next month when Collard will be racing at the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Collard will also return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with the team to make his 19th start in the French enduro if it moves up from its first place on the reserve list.

ProSpeed joins an eight-car line-up in the GTE class at Silverstone, which includes two Ferrari 458 Italias from the new British Ram Racing squad and Porsche factory drivers Nick Tandy and Wolf Henzler at the wheel of their respective Proton Competition and Imsa Performance 911 GT3-RSRs.

Nine LMP2 prototypes are on the 25-car entry, down two from the original 11 after the withdrawal of Sebastien Loeb Racing and OREX Competition.

The three-hour ELMS opener at Silverstone takes place on Saturday April 13, the day before the first round of the World Endurance Championship at the British track.