Lemanslive.com’s illustrious pundit and five-time Le Mans winner Emmanuele Pirro has signed to contest three races with Drayson Racing.

The amiable Italian is to don his helmet once again for a three-race endurance programme in 2010 which will take in Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans.

This mini-programme is of particular interest to Emmanuele who will find himself racing against his former Audi team-mates in the ‘green’ Lola prototype campaigned by Drayson Racing, one of Michelin’s partners in this year’s ALMS and in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

“It didn’t take me long to make my mind up when Drayson Racing made the offer,” admits the Italian driver. “I first came across Paul Drayson in the 2008 ALMS and I was impressed by what he does outside of motor sport. We share the same ideas on a whole range of topics and issues. I am delighted at the prospect of racing for his team.”

Paul Drayson, who is currently the United Kingdom’s Minister of Science (Business, Innovation and Skills), founded Drayson Racing, for which he drives himself, in 2006. The team is seeking to promote the use of ‘green’ energies in motor sport, and notably uses bio-ethanol fuel. Michelin is a longstanding partner of the team which secured pole position in last year’s Asian Le Mans Series.

24 Hours of Le Mans, Drayson, Michelin