Sebring 12 Hours winner Derani joins Risi Ferrari squad for Le Mans

The 25-year-old Brazilian, who claimed his third Sebring victory last month with the Action Express Cadillac team, moves into a seat in Risi's GTE Pro class Ferrari 488 GTE after racing a factory AF Corse car at the World Endurance Championship blue-riband event last year.

It will be Derani's fifth straight appearance at Le Mans, having previously raced LMP2 machinery for G-Drive/Oak and Extreme Speed Motorsports and then in GTE with the Ganassi Ford WEC squad.

Team boss Giuseppe Risi described Derani as "a well-versed racing driver, including in the Ferrari 488".

"His enthusiasm is infectious and we're looking forward to having him as part of the Risi Competizione family," said Risi.

"Le Mans is a classic race and this team is always prepared for it, or any race, and after having finished second [in 2016] and third [in GTE Am in 2018], we are more than ready to be back on the top step."

Derani, who is racing full time for Action Express in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, called the offer to drive for Risi "a fantastic opportunity".

"I'm really happy to be joining the Risi team and to be back at Le Mans in a Ferrari," he said.

"Hopefully we can do one place better than they did back in 2016 with their second-place finish and with my experience at Le Mans I can help lead the way for a great result."

Derani is the only confirmed driver so far for the Risi Ferrari at Le Mans on June 15/16.

Previous overall winner Stephane Ortelli and team regular Pierre Kaffer were listed against the car on the publication of the second segment of the 60-car entry list at the start of March.

But a spokesperson for Risi explained that the team had "made some changes to its driver line-up" and that Derani was its "first driver announcement".

The other two drivers will be announced in "a few days", according to the team.