Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer has signed up to race for the TECHEETAH Formula E Team in 2017-8.
The 35-year-old German driver will make his dèbut in the fourth season opener in Hong Kong on December 2. His team mate will be former Formula 1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne. Lotterer replaces Stephane Sarrazin in the team's line-up.
"I’m honoured and proud to join TECHEETAH to make my Formula E debut," he said. "Formula E has been the most exciting motor racing series in recent years.
"TECHEETAH made a very big impression last season beating a number of manufacturer teams," he noted. "I’m looking forward to working with Jean-Eric Vergne and everyone in TECHEETAH to start this new chapter in my racing career.”
Lotterer has been competing in the World Endurance Championship with Porsche. However, the manufacturer is exiting LMP1 at the end of this season in favour of its own switch to Formula E.
Another current Porsche factory drivers, Neel Jani, has also found a seat in Formula E with Dragon Racing.
"Jean-Eric Vergne and Andre Lotterer will form one of the strongest driver line-ups in Formula E," predicted TECHEETAH managing director Ivan Yim.
"I'm sure our two drivers will push each other to new levels of performance.
"Andre’s track record and experience with some of motorsport’s most significant factory teams brings immense value as we push our own development in both the medium and long-term."
As well as Le Mans, Lotterer is also a two-time Super GT champion. In addition, he won the Formula Nippon title in 2011. He'll need that single-seater experience to make a quick start in Formula E. There's little time available to him to get used to his new challenge.
"With only three test days available to us as a private team, we'll be looking to Andre to adapt quickly to the format and car," said Yim.
"We’re confident that season four will assist Andre in being well-prepared along with Jean-Eric to mount a solid challenge for the championship.
"TECHEETAH scored the most points of any team in the last four races in season three," he added.
"We hope to continue this upward trajectory in the coming season with Andre and Jean-Eric. That's the plan."
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