Nick Yelloly Completes Jota Sport ELMS Line-Up
Nick Yelloly switches from a successful single-seater career to complete JOTA Sport’s 2015 European Le Mans Series squad, a maiden sportscar season that will also see the young Briton making his Le Mans 24 Hour race debut.
The 24-year-old multiple GP3 Series and Formula Renault 3.5 Series race winner will line-up with Simon Dolan and Filipe Albuquerque in this year’s ELMS with the trio aiming to go one better compared to last season and win the five-race series.
Dolan and Yelloly will also race the Gibson 015S at Le Mans in June with the British team targeting a second consecutive LM P2 victory.
JOTA’s third Le Mans driver will be revealed later this month because Albuquerque competes in the 24 hour race for Audi Sport Team Joest. JOTA Sport enjoying a strong on-going relationship with the German team for a second consecutive year.
Yelloly began in motorsport 10 years ago via the traditional route of karting leading in to single-seaters. Having finished fifth in the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, the West Midlands-based driver claimed sixth place in the GP3 Series for the past two years.
Nick is scheduled to test the JOTA Sport Nissan-powered Gibson again, which will once again race on Dunlop tyres with continued support from Hiscox and Oneserve, later this month.
Simon Dolan: “I am very happy to be driving alongside Nick. He is demonstrably super fast, and whilst he has very big boots to fill in those of Harry Tincknell, I am sure he will adapt to sports cars very quickly. It should be another very exciting season.
Filipe Albuquerque: “I believe that we’ve a great driver line-up for ELMS. I’ve never raced with Nick because of our age difference but of course I know of him from GP3.
“I enjoyed working with Nick at Estoril. His experience will help him a lot to get used to the LM P2 sportscar. I could immediately see that he is a young driver with a lot of willingness to learn. The pace that he showed at the test confirms we have a very good squad.”
Nick Yelloly: “I’ve never raced a sportscar and tested one for the very first time early in February so 2015 will be a completely new experience for me and one that I’m eagerly looking forward to. Having had that first taste of sportscars when JOTA Sport tested at Estoril, I have no doubt that the transition will be very smooth. When I got in to the Gibson it only took a few laps for me to acclimatise to the driving different style.
“Sportscars will be my only programme this year and the decision was very simple. The sportscar category is now getting much bigger compared to some top-line single-seater categories, the racing intrigues me having to master new skills from almost continuous overtaking to fuel saving, and who could turn down competing at Le Mans! A number of single-seater guys have successfully made the switch over to sportscars like Brendon Hartley and Harry Tincknell. I have always dreamt of racing a LM P1 sports-prototype at Le Mans.
“Joining JOTA Sport was logical after its massively successful year in 2014. I’m really pleased to get this opportunity and to be able to race with a team that put Harry Tincknell on the road to success. My aims for 2015 are exactly the same from when I began in motorsport 10 years ago and that is to win. JOTA was the ELMS runner-up and so the target must be to go one better and replicate its Le Mans success. I can’t wait for the new challenge that lies ahead.”
Sam Hignett. Partner, JOTA Group: “Having taken Oliver Turvey and more recently Harry Tincknell from single-seaters to sportscars, we have been keeping a close eye on up and coming British talent.
“Nick is right at the top of that list and we are thrilled to be able to put a deal together to get him at JOTA Sport. He’s already proven to be extremely professional and fast and we are looking forward to working with him so that he establishes himself in sportscar racing.”
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