Blomqvist joins ESM LMP2 team for Shanghai
Tom Blomqvist will become the latest driver to make his FIA World Endurance Championship debut when he joins the Extreme Speed Motorsports team in Shanghai.
The Anglo-Swede, who has spent the last two seasons as a BMW driver in DTM, will line up alongside Antonio Giovinazzi and Sean Gelael in the Jagonya Ayam-backed ESM Ligier JS P2, replacing Giedo van der Garde.
Blomqvist, Giovinazzi and Gelael all spent 2014 together as teammates at Carlin in European Formula 3, where Blomqvist finished runner-up in the standings to Esteban Ocon, also beating Max Verstappen.
He has since maintained his links to the Jagonya Ayam organisation despite his BMW tie-up, acting as a mentor to Giovinazzi and Gelael - who made their debuts in WEC last weekend in the 6 Hours of Fuji.
Along with van der Garde, who has also raced in LMP2 for G-Drive this season, the pair finished fourth in class, losing time with an electrical problem and a subsequent penalty for pitlane speeding.
A statement from Jagonya Ayam, however, suggested Blomqvist would be unable to keep his place in the line-up for the season finale at Bahrain due to clashing commitments.
UPDATE: Van der Garde has confirmed to Motorsport.com that he will rejoin the #30 line-up for Bahrain, and that his deal with ESM and Jagonya Ayam only covered two races with an option for a third.
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Top Comments
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.