DEVON RACER SET TO MAKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DEBUT

Silverstone "star" Harry Tincknell contests 6 Hour race at Spa

Devon's Harry Tincknell makes his FIA World Endurance Championship debut when he races alongside regular co-driver Simon Dolan plus three-time Spa 6 Hour outright race winner Marc Gené with the trio looking to earn JOTA Sport a third consecutive Spa 'podium'.

JOTA won the LMP2 class in the corresponding Spa 6 Hour race in 2012 and finished third last year with this year's Spa race on Saturday (3 May) marking Tincknell's and the Kent-based team's first of two FIA World Endurance Championship outings this year.

Doctors have declared Dolan fit, despite the massive front impact accident he suffered when leading the opening European Le Mans Series race on Easter Saturday, to join WEC debutant and Silverstone 'pole' setter Tincknell alongside ultra-experienced Audi Sport 'factory' driver Gené who has been loaned to JOTA for this race and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

While the Zytek Z11SN sportscar's strength and build quality prevented any serious injuries to Dolan, not surprisingly a new monocoque is being utilised in Belgium.

Practice and qualifying are staged on Friday (2 May) with the race scheduled to start at 1.30pm (BST) on Saturday.

Harry Tincknell (GB). Age: 22. Born: Exeter, Devon. Lives: Sidmouth, Devon (GB):

"I first raced at Spa in 2011 then again in 2012 both times in Formula Three. I've recorded top-six finishes there but have yet to get on the podium and that is a minimum achievement for me this time!

"It is an 'old school' track and I am really looking forward to going there in an LMP2 sportscar. Spa has its own micro climate and in both my previous visits, it was rarely dry. I have yet to drive the Zytek in the wet but I'm certain I will have my first experience of that at some point in Spa!

"We have a good chance of winning. The Silverstone ELMS race proved that we are a force to be reckoned with. Our pace appeared to be better than the LMP2 cars competing in the Silverstone WEC race the same weekend.

"JOTA Sport has a good record at Spa and so does Marc [Gené] while Simon [Dolan] was ultra-competitive at Silverstone. A podium should be the minimum target while a win is certainly not unrealistic."