Frijns joins reigning champion Vanthoor in Blancpain GT Series

The 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 champion has been confirmed with the Belgian squad for both the Blancpain Sprint Series and Endurance Endurance Series, which together make up the BGTS, after a successful try-out in one of its Audi RS LMS ultras at Paul Ricard earlier this month.

Frijns, 23, will be paired with Audi factory driver Vanthoor in all seven-rounds of the BSS and in three of the five BES rounds, together with former Peugeot LMP1 test and reserve driver Jean-Karl Vernay.

Team boss Vincent Vosse told AUTOSPORT: "I have worked very hard on this deal with Robin, because I saw how good he was at the Ricard test.

"I'll be very surprised if he and Laurens aren't fighting for victories together this year."

Frijns and Vernay will drive in the BES with Audi DTM driver Nico Muller at the Paul Ricard 1000km round in June and in the Spa 24 Hours at the end of July.

This is because Audi factory driver Vanthoor will be on duty in the second-generation R8 LMS at those two races with Rene Rast and Markus Winkelhock, his winning co-drivers at Spa last year.

GP2 race winner Stephane Richelmi will also undertake a full-season with WRT after dipping his toes in the sportscar waters with the team last year.

The Monegasque will share with former Le Mans 24 Hours winner Stephane Ortelli, a member of Audi's GT pool, in all the sprint races and in four of the enduros when they will be joined by Frank Stippler.

Vosse said he believed that Oretlli and Richelmi would be contenders in both series.

"They are going to be strong; they should have won in Baku [for the BSS] race last year," he said.

Richelmi will race at the season opener at Monza on April 12 with Kelvin van der Linde and one driver to be confirmed, because Ortelli will be giving the new R8 its BES debut together with Stippler and Muller.

WRT's BSS line-up is completed by Christopher Mies and Enzo Ide and the already-announced pairing of James Nash and Stippler.

The Belgian squad will defend the BES drivers' crown won by Vanthoor and its teams' title with a three-car assault, which will expand to four cars when the new R8 is present at Monza, Ricard and Spa.

One of the three regular entries will be in the Pro-Am class and driven by Laurent Pasquali, Sacha Bottemane and Max Koebolt.