BILLERICAY racing driver Bradley Smith will be competing in European sports cars next season.

The 23-year-old triple Radical champion has secured a drive with Greaves Motorsport to pilot a Ginetta Juno Nissan in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) for 2015.

The Mectech Motorsport driver will contest the new LMP3 class in the sports car series, which visits European circuits including Silverstone, Imola and the Red Bull Ring.

And Smith is delighted to have joined the British team for 2015.

“It is a real privilege to be racing with Greaves Motorsport, their reputation in prototypes is second to none and LM P3 is a perfect step up from Radicals,” Smith said.

“Last year was a great year for me, winning the Radical European Championship in my first attempt, and hopefully we can carry over that momentum with Greaves Motorsport and be just as successful in the European Le Mans Series.”

Mectech boss Mike Smith said the move came following a meeting last week with Greaves.

And he is pleased his son has secured a drive after winning the Radical Clubman’s Cup, Radical SR3 Challenge and Radical European Masters championship in consecutive years.

“This is huge for us because Greaves have been in sports cars for years and they have a pedigree having won in LMP2,” said Smith.

“From Mectech’s view it’s good to see Bradley progress and that he’s been noticed by someone that high in the food chain is great.

“It shows that what we have done over the last few years has worked. We have not thrown money at it, we have thrown time at it and reaped the rewards with reliability and success on the track.”

Bradley Smith is due to visit the Greaves factory next week and will then head to France’s Paul Ricard circuit for official testing next March.

The season starts at Silverstone in April before heading to Imola the following month. Austria’s Red Bull Ring is the destination in July with the Paul Ricard the penultimate race in September. The season concludes at Portugal’s Estoril circuit in October.