Defending IMSA Daytona Prototype international champion Felipe Nasr is headed back next season to the No. 31 Action Express Racing/Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R entry.

AXR team manager Gary Nelson confirmed the news when reached by RACER on Tuesday.

The Brazilian, who shares the car with countryman Pipo Derani, recently conducted his first IndyCar test with the Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team, and was reportedly being considered for a seat in 2020 under the new Arrow McLaren SP banner. With his immediate future committed to IMSA, Nasr’s desire to resume his open-wheel career has been tabled until his new contract is completed.

It’s believed the long driver evaluation process taking place with the IndyCar team was a contributing factor to re-signing with AXR, which traditionally confirms its drivers in September for the following year.

Derani will also continue his successful association with AXR and Nasr as part of an unchanged full-time lineup in the No. 31 DPi-V.R.

Having spent the 2015-2016 seasons in Formula 1, Nasr’s speed and racecraft were in high demand once he hit IMSA’s driver market. Since their arrival, the 27-year-old and Derani have made the No. 31 Cadillac AXR’s most consistent performer, earning the Prototype title on their first try. The duo, with the help of endurance partner Eric Curran, have captured the team’s lone win so far in 2019 at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.

Entering this weekend’s WeatherTech SportsCar championship race in Monterey, Nasr and Derani hold second in the DPi standings, seven points behind Acura Team Penske’s Dane Cameron and Juan Montoya.

The sister No. 5 AXR Cadillac driven by Joao Barbosa and Filipe Albuquerque is believed to have a portion of its budget left to complete before the entry’s plans can be solidified.