Two-time WEC champion Hartley makes his LMP1 comeback, replacing Jenson Button in the next two rounds
Ex-Toro Rosso Formula 1 driver Brendon Hartley is returning to LMP1 racing in the World Endurance Championship as he will drive for the SMP Racing team in the next two rounds, replacing Jenson Button who has clashing commitments in the Super GT championship.
Hartley will therefore drive alongside Russians Vitaly Petrov and Mikhail Aleshin in the no11 BR Engineering BR1 for the 1000 Miles of Sebring in March and Spa 6 Hours in May, with Button to return for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours that will close the inaugural WEC ‘superseason’.
Hartley was dropped by Toro Rosso at the end of the 2018 F1 season, during which he scored four points, though it was recently confirmed that he also is one of four drivers recruited by the Ferrari F1 team for simulator work in 2019.
He also has plenty of WEC experience having previously driven for the Porsche LMP1 team with whom he won the world championship twice, in 2015 and ’17, as well as won the ’17 Le Mans 24 Hours driving alongside Earl Bamber and Timo Bernhard. Hartley made his final WEC appearance in the final round of the 2017 season, the Bahrain 6 Hours. This was a few weeks after he had made his F1 debut for Toro Rosso, in the United States round at Austin.
More: Brendon Hartley gets Ferrari F1 simulator role
Hartley joins another recent F1 refugee at the SMP squad, with it confirmed in recent days that Sergey Sirotkin, who drove for Williams in 2018, will contest the remaining rounds of the WEC ‘superseason’ with the Russian team.
“I’m very pleased to join SMP Racing for the next two WEC races at Sebring and Spa,” said Hartley. “The team have all the tools and a great driver roster so I think we have a big opportunity to fight for podiums. It marks my return to the WEC and I’m really looking forward to being back in the paddock amongst many familiar faces.”
Formula 1 returns to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix on 6 April 2025, but which drivers have had the most success at this iconic circuit before? From the highest number of podiums, pole positions and wins, we have all the answers
Andy Stevenson worked for Eddie Jordan's team throughout its time in Formula 1. He tells Adam Cooper exactly what made the man such a force of nature in the paddock — and a surprisingly effective manager
Red Bull has reshuffled its drivers and changed development direction but its car is still too slow and months behind the progress of F1 rivals, writes Mark Hughes. Max Verstappen's uncertain future makes the way forward even murkier
As Red Bull's seat swapping dominates the headlines, we take a look at six drivers who could be next in line for a seat at the F1 team or its sister outfit Racing Bulls if things don’t go to plan for Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson