BBC Top Gear presenter Chris Harris will join reigning Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup champion Garage 59 as part of the team's return to the championship.
Harris, 42, will drive a McLaren 650S GT3 alongside company test driver Chris Goodwin and team regular Alexander West in the Am category.
The trio will contest this weekend's three-hour Silverstone round of the BGTS Endurance Cup, in preparation for an assault on the 24 Hours of Spa in late July.
Harris contested the full Endurance Cup season in 2016, driving a Bentley Continental GT3 run by customer outfit Team Parker Racing.
”The Blancpain Endurance Series is fast proving itself to be the most competitive GT series in the world, with ever-increasing grids and the world’s best professional drivers," said Harris.
"The calibre of GT3 machinery on the grids is also great, with them all so closely matched in terms of performance – it is a real spectacle for the fans, and really rewarding to be involved with as a driver."
"The McLaren was the car of the field in 2016, and it is great to join the reigning champions Garage 59 for these two races alongside Chris and Alex. I am particularly excited about returning to Spa – it is a special place for any car fan, and to have the opportunity to race in the 24-hour race again, this time in a McLaren, should be a pretty special experience."
Goodwin (right of picture) is Chief Test Driver for McLaren Automotive, and has a wealth of racing experience casting back over 20 years including drives in the European Le Mans Series, International GT Open, British GT Championship, Nurburgring 24 Hours, FIA GT1, British Touring Car Championship and most recently in historic events such as the Goodwood Revival Meeting.
Alexander West (middle) is a team regular at Garage 59, having represented the squad in the International GT Open for GT3 cars.
"After the successes of 2016, it is great to be back contesting the Blancpain Endurance Series with the 650S GT3 for these two events," said Garage 59 boss Tim Mullen.
"The line-up of drivers we have is very exciting, with a great mix of experience, strong pace and passion for racing."
"Chris Goodwin is obviously a huge asset to the team, bringing knowledge of both the car but also more than 20 years of top-level GT racing, while Chris Harris has shown himself to be one of the quickest and most consistent Am drivers on the Blancpain grid."
"It is also great to see Alexander taking the step up to arguably the most fiercely-fought GT championship in the world. We have seen him progress significantly over the past couple of seasons in International GT Open alongside Factory Driver Côme Ledogar, and this will be a really exciting challenge for him."
Garage 59 took a hiatus from the BGTS Endurance Cup following its outright triumph in 2016 with Ledogar, Shane van Gisbergen and McLaren factory driver Rob Bell.
The team's full season focus this year has been on the International GT Open, plus a two-car GT4 entry in British GT.
Harris, Goodwin and West will mark Garage 59's return to the Blancpain series this weekend at Silverstone (May 13-14).
