Extreme Speed Motorsports is set for its first overseas FIA World Endurance Championship this weekend when the Honda HPD squad races both its LM P2 prototypes in China.

ESM put a “toe in the water” at the Austin round of the WEC, running a single car for Scott Sharp, Ryan Dalziel and Ed Brown and finishing on the podium.

After electing to skip the final TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, ESM now enters the Shangai race with Sharp, Dalziel and former ALMS PC champion Ricardo Gonzalez in one car plus Johannes van Overbeek, Brown and two-time ALMS P1 champion David Brabham in the second machine.

“One of the biggest challenges we face this weekend is going to be the travel and time adjustment. For majority of the team and crew, heading to China is a first, so going there to race just adds an extra element of difficulty.  Once everyone is acclimated to the time difference, we will hit the ground running,” Ryan Dalziel said.

“Competing in WEC at COTA was great. It was the best sports car manufacturers in the world on one stage, and China holds a special place for me as it’s where I won the 2012 WEC LMP2 title.

“After COTA we feel confident in going to Shanghai and having both cars compete for the win. We learned a lot at COTA both on- and off- track and I think goals are a double podium this weekend. We’re strong enough and have the right combination of drivers and machinery to get it done.

“The Shanghai circuit is great. It’s very low grip, so it’s tough to find mechanical grip in the very slow areas. There are a couple of high-speed sections that will show the potential of our Tequila Patrón HPD chassis.”

Track action kicks off tonight for the first practice sessions. The Friday practice sessions run from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. China Standard Time. (Thursday from 10:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. and Friday from 3:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. ET)

Saturday’s on-track activity includes the hour-long practice session starting at 9:30 a.m. China Standard Time (9:30 p.m. ET). LMP2 qualifying begins at 1:55 p.m. China Standard Time on Saturday afternoon. (1:55 a.m. ET) Green flag for the 6 Hours of Shanghai takes place Sunday at 11 a.m. China Standard Time (11 p.m. ET).