Cumbrian driver Frank Bird will compete in the Asian Le Mans Series this season as part of Haupt racing team.

The Penrith driver will join the German team for all four rounds of the series later this month.

Bird will be accompanied by Indian Arjun Maini and French driver Michael Blancheman in the yellow and blue sister Mercedes-AMG GT3 car which is backed by Paul Bird Motorsport.

They will compete alongside fellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 drivers Al Faisal Al Zubair, Luca Stolz and Martin Konrad.

Races are on consecutive weekends - February 11-12 and 18-19 - in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Bird said: “I did a few races in the GT World Challenge with HRT and Arjun last season and had a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to working with them again this year."

On the first race weekend there will be a pair of four-hour races in Dubai, with the second weekend bringing two rounds at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which will also run over a race duration of four hours each.

The contest will involve 47 cars, including 24 in the GT class, fighting for the championship in the Asian Le Mans Series.

All class winners also receive a starting place for the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Sean Paul Breslin, team principal of Haupt Racing Team, added: "It is our second participation in the Asian Le Mans Series and in the GT class we will be competing against strong competition.

"Nevertheless, we are going into the race with ambition, especially as we have already been able to achieve many successes at the Dubai Autodrome in the past. We will work very hard to ensure that we can build on this."