Nissan has added ex-Formula 1 drivers Ricardo Zonta and Enrique Bernoldi, plus sports car stars Lucas Luhr and Richard Westbrook, to its driver lineup for the GT1 World Championship this year.
As expected, the Sumo Power team has taken on responsibility for all four GT1 Nissans this year, setting up a new sister operation under the JR Motorsports banner following the departure of 2010's second Nissan squad Swiss Racing Team.
Westbrook, Zonta, Bernoldi all move to Nissan after being GT1 frontrunners with other teams last year, having driven for Matech Ford, Reiter Lamborghini and Vitaphone Maserati in 2010, respectively. Matech is among the definite GT1 departures for 2011, with champion squad Vitaphone also expected to exit and Reiter yet to announce its plans.
Former Audi factory driver and multiple American Le Mans Series class champion Luhr will be making his World GT1 debut.
Existing Sumo Power drivers Peter Dumbreck and Michael Krumm both stay on, but under the JR banner. Krumm will be paired with Luhr in one car, with British duo Dumbreck and Westbrook taking the other.
Bernoldi and Zonta will share one of the Sumo Power entries, with the rest of the driver lineup yet to be announced. Warren Hughes and Jaime Campbell-Walter also drove for Sumo Power in 2010.