Mercedes-Benz ambassador Mika Häkkinen, 43, is poised to make his endurance racing debut at the wheel of a Mercedes SLS GT3 entered by Customer AMG Sports Team China. He will share the car with David Arnold and CongFu Cheng.

Mercedes-Benz sold 123,590 cars in China in the course of the first eight months of 2011, an improvement of 41 percent over the previous year.

In the course of an F1 career spanning 10 years (two world titles: 1998 and 1999), Mika Häkkinen raced for Mercedes-Benz in the DTM, but hasn’t competed since the end of 2007.

About 30 cars are expected to start the Zhuhai 6 Hours. The LMP1 entry boasts nine prototypes: two Peugeot 908s, two Audi R18s, two OAK Racing cars, a Lola-Aston Martin, a Lola-Rebellion and the Tokai University-entered Courage-Oreca.

In contrast, there are only two LMP2 cars (Signatech, OAK Racing), plus seven LM GTE Pro and six LM GTE Am runners. The Zhuhai 6 Hours is also open to GTC cars, and the class includes Häkkinen’s Mercedes, plus three R8 LMSs.

6 hours of Zuhai 2011, Customer AMG Sports Team China, DTM, Mercedes SLS GT3, Mika Häkkinen