Tappy secures season-long ART-McLaren deal for Blancpain

British racer Duncan Tappy will contest the full Blancpain Endurance Series campaign with the ART Grand Prix squad following his outing with the French team at the season-opening Monza round.

The time McLaren Autosport Award finalist will pilot ART's McLaren MP4-12C GT3 alongside Grégoire Demoustier for the remaining four events - including the blue riband 24 Hours of Spa - after scoring a fifth place Pro-Am class finish at the Italian round.

“I am delighted to be teaming up with two of most prestigious names in international motor sport in ART Grand Prix and McLaren," said Surrey-born Tappy. "The car had a few normal teething issues at Monza but we were very competitive for most of the race and we managed to bring it home in the end.

“It’s already obvious that the ART-McLaren package has huge potential and I am really relishing the challenge ahead of contributing to their success in this category.”

“At ART Grand Prix, we have always set the bar very high in terms of what we aim to achieve in any category we enter," commented team boss Frederic Vasseur. "Therefore, we knew that we wanted our inaugural season in GT racing to be lead by a driver with pace, intelligence and full commitment to the team’s cause.

“I was already aware of Duncan through his titles in single-seater racing and he definitely confirmed to us that he is the right man for the job, during the first round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Monza. We are therefore very pleased to have signed him for the rest of the season.”

Tappy enjoyed an impressive junior career in the single-seater ranks, taking Formula Ford Festival honours in 2005, the Formula Renault UK title in 2007 and making a race-winning foray into Superleague Formula.

The second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series takes place on 2-3 June at British venue Silverstone.

Watch LIVE Blancpain Endurance Series action on Motors TV


James Weeks