Watts snares LNT seat.

Team LNT has confirmed that Danny Watts is to partner Tom Kimber-Smith for the 2007 Le Mans Series season.

The 27-year-old, who won ten times in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB last season, tested the LNT Panoz Esperante at both Pembrey and Valencia and will now share the #81 car with young-charger Kimber-Smith, who finished equal second in the British GT Championship last season alongside Luke Hines.

Team boss Lawrence Tomlinson and commercial director Richard Dean will share the sister #82 machine.

"There have been quite a few drivers in line for the final LNT seat," Dean explained. "It's good from the Team's perspective that there has been so much interest by so many talented drivers.

"Danny's ability in and out of the car has proved to all of us that his driver pairing with Tom Kimber-Smith will be a real threat to the rest of the LMS GT2 field. If I wasn't in a Panoz myself, I'd be worried!"

Like Kimber-Smith, Watts comes into the LNT drive having built his career in single-seaters. Formula Renault champion in 2002, Watts has also raced in Formula Three in recent seasons before switiching focus to sportscars in the Carrera Cup last year - when a series of strong performances while deputising for Richard Westbrook in the Team IRWIN with Red Line Racing squad eventually led to him competing for the majority of the season.

"The Panoz is very different to anything I've driven before," said Watts. "It's a real beast. Great fun to drive and very quick! The testing I've done so far has gone really well and everyone here's made me feel very welcome. It's going to be a good year."