BMW factory driver Nick Yelloly is set to make his ELMS LMP2 race debut next weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, following an announcement today that he will join Nielsen Racing for the fourth round of the season.
Yellow – who competes full time with Team RLL in IMSA GTP and in World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup with ROWE Racing – will share the #24 Nielsen ORECA along with full season drivers John Falb and Colin Noble in the Pro/Am class. He takes the seat which was filled by Albert Costa during the first half of the season. Costa is believed to have a clash elsewhere.
“I’m delighted to jump in and help out; I have bags of experience at this circuit, so I don’t need to learn the circuit, just the car a little bit. It’s an LMP2 ORECA, which is a downforce car, so I’m used to that!” the British driver, who won the Spa 24 Hours in 2023 with ROWE said.
“I am not totally new to LMP2, but it’s been a while, 2015/16 around Spa, but time moves on. It will be all about getting up to speed as fast as we can. We have the Wednesday test, so we will maximise that.
“It will be difficult from zero as there are a lot of great drivers in this championship, and the test will be all about getting up to speed and working with the team, which will be great.”
Yelloly’s task, primarily, will be to help Falb and Noble score their second podium finish of the season and climb the standings in the hotly contested Pro/Am class.
“It will be key to ensure that the car is best suited for them, and then I adapt my driving style to the final setup,” he said. “They will already have a good understanding of what they want and need—having driven the car all season—and I’ve already opened communications with them on this to get the conversation started. It’s a learning process that I am looking forward to.
“They already have secured a podium this year, so if that were to be repeated, that would be good as we run as a trio for the first time. For me, it’s just about maximising every opportunity that opens, making the best of any chance, and we will take it from there. More points, though, is always better.”
Yelloly is the second IMSA GTP driver to announce a guest drive in the 4 Hours of Spa, after Filipe Albuquerque revealed he will join United for the weekend. There is an ELMS-IMSA clash next weekend, though the IMSA weekend is for GT teams only at VIR, freeing up GTP drivers to find opportunities in the ELMS paddock.
Featured image courtesy of Nick Yelloly/BAM
