LE MANS: Heidfeld Confirmed At Rebellion

Le Mans / ALMS

LE MANS: Heidfeld Confirmed At Rebellion

As revealed in a SPEED.com exclusive last week, former F1 star Nick Heidfeld will drive Rebellion Lola-Toyota in select rounds of the WEC...

John Dagys | Posted February 01, 2012 Chicago, IL

Nick Heidfeld has joined Rebellion Racing's LMP1 program in the FIA World Endurance Championship. (Photo: LAT)

First revealed in a SPEED.com exclusive last week, Rebellion Racing confirmed Wednesday the signing of Nick Heidfeld, who will drive one of its Lola-Toyotas in select rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The 34-year-old German, who made 183 Formula One starts during his decade-long stint with teams such as Sauber, Williams and Jordan, will share the wheel of the Anglo-Swiss squad's No. 12 LMP1 entry with Neel Jani and Nicolas Prost at the Twelve Hours of Sebring, Six Hours of Spa and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Heidfeld is no complete stranger to sports car racing, having made a start at Le Mans in 1999 in a factory Mercedes CLR.

“I am really looking forward to this new challenge and I am especially excited that the first race in Sebring, being a new circuit for me, is only a few weeks away," Heidfeld said. "Since I did Le Mans in 1999 I always knew that I wanted to come back to endurance racing.

"I hope I can help build up on their already impressive achievements [for Rebellion] which include winning the Team and Manufacturer championship in the Le Mans Series and finishing just behind the Peugeot and Audi works teams in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.”

Team manager Bart Hayden said: "We had a number of options for high profile drivers joining our team for the longer distance race events such as Sebring and Le Mans. Nick Heidfeld was available and was looking for a new challenge.

"Nick will be a valuable addition to the team, he is quick, highly-experienced, enthusiastic and very happy to be part of Rebellion Racing. We are pleased to welcome Nick to the team and are looking forward to the start of the season next month at the Sebring 12 Hours, opening round of the new FIA World Endurance Championship.”

Heidfeld completes Rebellion's lineup, with Jeroen Bleekemolen having been announced Tuesday as the third driver in the No. 13 Lola-Toyota with Andrea Belicchi and Harold Primat.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at

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