JRM Racing graduates to LMP1 for new World Endurance Championship

JRM Racing, winner of last year's FIA GT1 World Championship with Nissan, is graduating to LMP1 for the new FIA World Endurance Championship 2012.

The British team, which was established in 2010 under the Sumo Power banner, will field a solo Honda Performance Development ARX-03a in the eight-race WEC, which includes the Le Mans 24 Hours. The move is likely to end its involvement as a race team in the FIA GT1 series.

Team owner James Rumsey said: "After achieving success at the highest level of GT racing, we are now looking for a fresh challenge and we see competition in endurance events as the next step for the team. We have chosen the HPD because it's a well-developed package and currently the most competitive of the petrol-engined LMP1 cars.

"Having Le Mans included in the [WEC] calendar is a significant factor for us. It's been a goal of ours to compete since the company started racing two years ago. We therefore hope that our entry will be accepted this year."

The team has revealed that it will run three drivers in its HPD, but has yet to confirm any names. Its FIA GT1 title winning drivers will not be part of the programme: Michael Krumm is contracted to Nissan and Lucas Luhr has signed to race an HPD for the US Muscle Milk team.

JRM has become the third team to purchase the latest HPD design from Wirth Research in the UK. Muscle Milk will field its car in the American Le Mans Series and Strakka Racing will run a car in the WEC.

JRM hasn't ruled out continuing in FIA GT1, but Rumsey said its continued participation is dependent on it finding sponsorship to cover the programme. The team will continue to work with Nissan and its motorsport arm, NISMO, on the development of the GT3 version of the GT-R.