The Malaga-born driver will make his European Le Mans Series debut when the season kicks off at Silverstone as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Fontes, who won the SEAT León Trophy and the Spanish Endurance Championship last year, joins By Speed Factory for the ELMS campaign and will drive a Ligier JSP3 Nissan in LMP3 class, by far the most numerous class in the series with 20 identical cars. Briton Tom Jackson and Spaniard Jesús Fuster will team up with Fontes at the wheel of the French prototype.

Two free practice sessions will take place on Friday. Official qualifying session is scheduled at 11.20 on Saturdayand the 4-hour race will get underway at 14.30.

Álvaro Fontes: “I´m very excited as the ELMS season is about to start! The championship is a true gateway to the 24hours of Le Mans. No fewer than 20 Ligier-built LMP3 cars will on the starting grid, so it looks like a real challenge.

My teammates will be Tom Jackson and Jesús Fuster. I hope to make a positive debut. Our preseason went welland our aims are high. It looks like a key year in my racing career and my goal is to take the most out of it.”