Nissan’s participation in the 2016 Blancpain Endurance Series with at least one GT-R GT3 looks set to continue as planned, despite the abrupt cancellation last month of the brand’s headline WEC LMP1 programme.

This is the first time in several years that Nissan has not had a presence at the Dubai 24 Hours with its latest crop of GT Academy graduates, but paddock sources at the Dubai Autodrome have confirmed to DSC that race staff have been booked for the championship and Bob Neville’s RJN team will continue to run the cars.

Before the LMP1 project was discontinued, Australian Matt Simmons (winner of the 2015 GT Academy International competition) was announced as the first confirmed driver for Nissan’s 2016 Blancpain programme.

The Japanese brand won the Pro Class of Blancpain Endurance last season with drivers Wolfgang Reip, Katsumasa Chiyo and Alex Buncombe.

SE