There are plenty of fresh faces in the WEC paddock this weekend as new drivers such as Antonio Giovinazzi, Alex Lynn and Sean Gelael. But there will also be a familiar face at the track this weekend as well.

Paul-Loup Chatin returns to WEC and his old team this weekend as he replaces Nelson Panciatici in the no35 Signatech Alpine run Baxi DC Racing Alpine entry.

Chatin, who won the 2014 European Le Mans Series with Signatech Alpine, spent last season racing in the WEC scoring a victory at the 6 Hours of Shanghai. This year he has been racing in the ELMS with the Panis Barthez squad. Chatin joins regular drivers David Cheng and Ho-Pin Tung in the Alpine A460-Nissan.

Sadly Nick Leventis will miss the Fuji race due to illness. The British driver, who travelled to Japan last week, has a lung infection. Strakka Racing will therefore run with two drivers this weekend in their Gibson 015S-Nissan  – Jonny Kane and Lewis Williamson.