After nearly pulling off a podium finish at Watkins Glen, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports will head into this weekend’s Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with an all-new driver lineup for its Ligier JS P217 Gibson, in David Ostella and Nick Boulle.

Both drivers are no stranger to the California-based team, with Ostella and Boulle having driven for PR1 in the Prototype Challenge ranks in recent years.

“We won the 12 Hours of Sebring back in 2013, which was actually my first professional sports car race. PR1 gave me my introduction into the sports car world, so I’m really pleased to be able to run with the team this weekend,” Ostella said.

“Most of the racing I’ve done since 2013 has been in GT cars, so driving the Ligier P2 car is going to be very special and definitely a lot different than what I’m accustomed to driving. CTMP is my home track though, so I have a lot of laps there, which will hopefully help me get up to speed quicker.”

Like Ostella, Boulle will also take his first laps in the Ligier this weekend.

“To say I’m excited to be back with PR1 for the weekend is definitely an understatement,” he said. “I would have been excited to join the team again anyway, but to be able to compete in the top class is really special.

“Driving a prototype car was one of my goals for the 2017 season, so I’m very happy to be able to run the Ligier with PR1.

“It will be very important to take advantage of all of the practice sessions and build up slowly because the car is a lot faster than the PC cars I have experience in.”

CTMP was the third and final race that Jose Gutierrez was scheduled to miss this year, with the Mexican driver set to return for the remainder of the year, beginning with next month’s round at Road America.

While having teamed with Olivier Pla at Watkins Glen, it’s unclear if the Frenchman will remain with the team for the final three Prototype rounds of the season.