Former Olympian Sir Chris Hoy to contest Le Mans 24 Hour test day

Hoy, who is working with Nissan to fulfill his ambition of racing in the Le Mans 24 Hours, will drive the Team LNT Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 in which he won his class in the opening round of this year's European Le Mans Series at Silverstone last weekend.

The two works LNT LMP3 entries have both been selected to take part in the Le Mans test day on May 31 and will be driven by Hoy and Silverstone co-winner Charlie Robertson, and Gaetan Paletou and Michael Simpson.

Hoy's participation in the test day will give him the chance to join the list of drivers eligible to compete in the 24 Hours if he completes a minimum of 10 laps.

Machinery from the LMP3 class, like that of its LMPC or Formula Le Mans predecessor, is allowed to take part in the test day to give drivers experience of the 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe, but is is not eligible for the race.

Hoy, who has moved into the prototype ranks after a season with Nissan in the British GT Championship last year, has the ambition of racing at Le Mans.

The intention is for the 39-year-old, who is going through the same driver development programme as Nissan's GT Academy winners, to race an LMP2 in the 24 Hours next season.

DID YOU KNOW...
... Former Manchester United and France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez took part in the Le Mans test day at the wheel of an ORECA-Chevrolet FLM09 in 2012?

Two years later he was back at the race to make his full debut driving a GTE Am Ferrari.