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CORE changes 2019 IMSA plans to run Nissan DPi rather than ORECA LMP2

IMSA SportsCar Championship runner-up CORE Autosport has performed an about turn and will run a Nissan Daytona Prototype international next season

The team announced earlier this month that it would not be chasing overall victories in 2019 after electing to stay with its ORECA-Gibson 07, which as an LMP2 car will compete in a new secondary prototype class from next year.

Now, it has reversed its decision after an opportunity to run the Nissan Onroak DPi based on the Ligier JSP217 chassis came up immediately after its original announcement.

CORE boss Morgan Brady said: "Ever since IMSA announced the split of the Prototype class, it's been our goal to enter DPi,

"Although we were headed in the LMP2 direction for 2019, within a matter of days the Nissan DPi programme became a reality and we couldn't pass this opportunity to compete for overall race wins."

Team owner Jon Bennett, who finished second in the IMSA points with Colin Braun in 2018, added: "I am extremely grateful the pieces have come together for CORE to run a DPi programme, even if it's a little late in the going.

"If anybody can come together and have this Nissan ready for the Daytona 24 Hours [the season opener in January], it's the incredible group of people at the CORE shop."

CORE will run an unchanged driver line-up in 2019: Bennett and Braun will share for the full season, while Romain Dumas will come in for the long-distance rounds at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.

Loic Duval will be the fourth driver for Daytona on January 26/27.

The Nissan DPi won Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in 2017 and this year's Sebring 12 Hours with the Extreme Speed Motorsports squad.

Title sponsor Tequila Patron announced the end of its relationship with ESM earlier this year, putting the team's continued participation in the IMSA series in jeopardy.

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