BIG NAME: Former forumula one racing driver Nick Heidfeld who will be in a Lola at the Le mans 24 Hours race in July. Picture: Macc Photography.

EX-Formula One racing driver Nick Heidfeld will join the son of Grand Prix legend Alain Prost, Nicolas, in a Lola-Toyota for the 80th Le Mans 24 Hours race in July.

Rebellion Racing, who will run two cars in the world-famous French endurance test, have announced that Heidfeld will drive one of their Lola-Toyota LMP1 coupés during the opening rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship, and the landmark Le Mans 24 Hours race which is being held this year on July 3 and 4.

Heidfeld has also been lined up to race for the Swiss team at the Sebring 12 Hours and Spa 6 Hours and will share his drive with Neel Jani and Prost junior.

Heidfeld, now 34, took the 1999 Formula 3000 title aboard a West Competetion Lola chassis before starting 183 Formula One Grands Prix and finishing on the podium on 13 occasions.

Sam Smith, spokesman for the Huntingdon-based manufacturers Lola, told The Hunts Post: “It’s a massive boost for us to have a driver of such experience and profile.”

“His pace certainly hasn’t diminished since he retired from F1.”

Heidfeld began in Formula One at Prost GP in 2000 before moving on to Sauber, Jordan, Williams and then BMW Sauber.

In 2010 he was Mercedes GP’s third driver and Pirelli test driver and drove five races for Sauber. In 2011 he was a Lotus-Renault driver. Heidfeld had one Le Mans 24 Hours start in 1999 with the AMG-Mercedes factory squad.

The German said: “I am really looking forward to this new challenge and I am especially excited that the first race in Sebring, being a new circuit for me, is only a few weeks away.

“I am very happy to join Rebellion Racing and hope I can help building up on their already impressive achievements.”

Bart Hayden, Rebellion Racing’s team manager, said: “We had a number of options for high profile drivers joining our team for the longer distance races such as Sebring and Le Mans. Nick was available and was looking for a new challenge.

“Nick will be a valuable addition to the team. He is quick, highly-experienced, enthusiastic and very happy to be part of Rebellion Racing.”

Rebellion Racing has also announced that Jeroen Bleekemolen has re-signed for the team and will share the second Lola-Toyota car with Andrea Belicchi and Harold Primat.