One of the big names in IMSA’s Daytona Prototype international silly season could be taken off the board if Filipe Albuquerque fills the vacant seat at Action Express Racing.

The upcoming switch from Action Express Racing to Acura Team Penske for defending IMSA Prototype champion Dane Cameron has created a vacancy among the team’s two-car Cadillac DPi-V.R effort. While it’s unclear whether his replacement will slot in alongside Cameron’s teammate Eric Curran, or into the sister No. 5 as part of a wider shuffling of talent, AXR’s interest in the 32-year-old is said to be solid.

The former Audi Sport WEC LMP1 driver has kept busy racing prototypes and GT cars in Europe since the German marque departed at the end of 2016, and with his starring performances for AXR in IMSA’s endurance races, converting the Portuguese ace from part-time to full-time is understood to be the team’s primary goal.

“I’m in a good position, let’s say, for next year,” Albuquerque told RACER. “DPi in America is one of the most competitive championships in the world next year because of what’s happening in the WEC.”

With the FIA WEC preparing to lose Porsche from LMP1 at the end of the year, top-tier drives in the series’ headlining class have all but evaporated. It makes the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s DPi category a perfect destination for those like Albuquerque who are accustomed to competing at the highest level.

“I’m not yet able to give any news because nothing is confirmed, but I must say, I couldn’t have predicted the changes we have seen,” he said. “When I was at Audi for five or six years, some of my teammates were there for like 15 years, and with so many changes recently in motorsport, the market has evolved.

“Audi pulling out, Porsche pulling out, it was a shock, but I like what is happening in America with DPi. It makes sense that it’s at the peak at the moment. What I want for my career is to be at that peak at Le Mans, or Daytona, or Sebring, and America is the hot spot now.”

Along with Albuquerque, Brazil’s Felipe Nasr has also been mentioned as a driver of interest for AXR. The ex-Formula 1 driver made his Rolex 24 at Daytona debut with Michael Shank Racing in 2012 where he finished third, and returned in 2013 with AXR to take eighth in an entry led by team veteran and countryman Christian Fittipaldi.