Stephane Sarrazin will aim to secure the Le Mans Series title this coming weekend for Peugeot as he returns to the scene of his one and only Formula 1 race in Brazil.

The Frenchman received an unexpected call-up to compete in the 1999 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos after Luca Badoer was ruled out with injury and qualified in a fine 17th place for perennial back-markers Minardi before retiring with a sticking throttle.

Now, alongside another former Minardi man Pedro Lamy, Sarrazin will hope to carry Peugeot to its first LMS title in the Mil Milhas, with the duo needing just a third place finish to secure the crown – with the fact that only four LMP1 cars are making the trip meaning that half points will be awarded.

"I have extremely fond memories of my F1 race at Interlagos with Minardi in 1999," he reflected. "It was my Grand Prix debut and everything went very smoothly. Being on the grid was a magical moment in itself and I was proud to have qualified in 17th place at a time when the Minardis were generally around 20th or even further down the order. I've tended to put the off when my front wing broke through the uphill left-hander behind me, but I can still vividly recall fighting back up to tenth place, just behind Jacques Villeneuve who was driving a BAR. I even had a go at passing him! Funnily enough, my team-mate at Minardi was Marc Gene!

"It's nice to be going back to Interlagos for the first time since that period. It's a great circuit, although it's technically very challenging, especially the sequence of tight turns behind the paddock. I remember them as though it was yesterday. It could well be a good race for Pedro Lamy and me.

"My objective is to qualify on pole and then put in a steady race that will hopefully enable the team to clinch the 2007 title."