Former Super GT champion Andre Couto will make his Pirelli World Challenge debut in this weekend’s SprintX race at Lime Rock Park with Bentley Team Absolute, the team has confirmed.

The Macau-based Portuguese driver, who competes full-time in the GT300 class in Super GT, fills in for Alexandre Imperatori in the No. 78 Bentley Continental GT3, alongside Yufeng Luo, due to Imperatori’s commitments in this weekend’s Nürburgring 24.

Couto turned his first laps in the Bentley in Tuesday’s test day at the Connecticut circuit.

“This will be my first experience driving the Bentley Continental GT3 this weekend and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity,” he said.

“It’s great to be racing in America because it has been a long time since I’ve had the chance. I tested a Champ Car back in 2001 and my first ever race was actually back in go-karts back in 1994.

“The championship here is at a really high level and I can’t wait to get started.”

The Chinese squad enters the third weekend of the SprintX championship on the heels of a fourth place overall finish for Vince Abril and Adderly Fong in the GT Pro-Pro class-entered Bentley, and a second podium of the season for Luo and Imperatori in Pro-Am.

“We scored great points in Canada and in the championship picture, we’re looking good,” said Bentley factory driver Abril. “It’s about the long game and being able to be in a good position towards the end of the season.”