Nissan LMP1 driver Harry Tincknell makes GT debut in Blancpain

The 23-year-old Briton will be the professional driver in the RJN team's pro-am class Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 alongside GT Academy winners Gaeton Paletou and Ricardo Sanchez at the 'Ring on September 20.

Tincknell said: "This is something I've been keen to do for a while.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to drive the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, and despite it being a case of in at the deep end, I'm in a great team, so I can't wait to get started."

Tincknell is the latest in a line of drivers from Nissan's P1 squad to race the RJN pro-am BES entry and follows on from Jann Mardenborough, Mark Shulzhitskiy and Olivier Pla.

He has never previously driven - neither tested nor raced - a GT car of any kind and will not have the chance to drive the GT-R beforehand.

"I've got to jump in and be quick straight away, but I'm looking forward to the challenge," Tincknell explained.

He added that he would be "taking a lot of tips" from fellow Nissan LMP1 Alex Buncombe, who drives the pro class RJN car together with Wolfgang Reip and Katsumasa Chiyo

"I'm going to immerse myself in data so I get as much of a head start as possible," he explained.

Tincknell is available for the Nurburgring event because Nissan has put its World Endurance Championship race programme on hold in favour of further testing and development with its front-engined GT-R LM NISMO and will not be competing at Austin on the same weekend.

Buncombe, Reip and Chiyo, who won the Paul Ricard BES round in June, lie fourth in the championship, nine points behind leaders Stephane Ortelli and Frank Stippler from the WRT Audi squad.

Briton Rory Butcher will made his BES debut with the Motorbase-run Oman Racing Team, with which he lies third in the British GT Championship.

The 28-year-old will share the team's pro class Aston Martin V12 Vantage with Stefan Mucke and Ahmad Al Harthy.

Tristan Vautier, the 2012 Indy Lights champion, will return to the pro line-up in Auto Sport Promotion's Ferrari 458 Italia at the Nurburgring to share with Alessandro Pier Guidi and Morgan Moullin Traffort.

Austrian Renaud Renauer will race the Rinaldi team's Ferrari, which finished second in the BES season opener at Monza, in place of Marco Seefried, who is competing at the Austin WEC round.