Mark Blundell, United Autosports Audi R8, 2010Former Le Mans winner Mark Blundell will return to 24-hour racing at Spa this year after agreeing a deal to race the GT3 United Autosports Audi R8 LMS.

The 44-year-old Briton last raced competitively for Bentley in 2003, finishing second in that year's Le Mans 24 Hours before stepping back to develop his sports management company, 2MB.

"I'd thought about returning to the cockpit but wanted to do so at a race I had not done before but also in an environment where it would be fun and professional," said the former Formula 1 driver, who will join Zak Brown and two other unspecified drivers in the car. "I now have time to commit and focus on the occasional race after eight years involved in 'live' television as part of the ITV F1 presenting team and building up my motorsport and soccer management companies, while the Spa 24 Hours makes perfect sense with my previous successes in 24-hour racing.

"My last Spa race was at the wheel of an F1 McLaren [1995]. It's one of my top three tracks in the world because it offers a massive challenge to a race driver. My last race was in 2003 with Bentley at Le Mans where I finished second overall having led much of the race. I love long distance, round-the-clock racing."

This year's Spa 24 Hours takes place on July 31-Aug. 1.