- United Autosports to take up ACO invitation to enter 24 Hours of Le Mans
- 2016 ELMS LMP3 champions place order for new Ligier JS P217
- Team intend to enter ELMS LMP2 class
United Autosports have confirmed their intention to enter the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LMP2 class. They are also evaluating a full season programme in the 2017 European Le Mans Series with their newly acquired Ligier JS P217.
The UK-based team were invited by the ACO to enter the LMP2 class of the world famous endurance race after winning the 2016 European Le Mans Series LMP3 championship. The team have now taken up that invitation by purchasing a Ligier JS P217 from French manufacturer, Onroak Automotive. They also intend to use the car in the 2017 ELMS, building on their success in the LMP3 class. They will however, continue with their LMP3 programme in 2017 and have announced their first driver line up of John Falb, Enzo Potolicchio and Sean Rayhall.
The team, who are also UK agents for Onroak Automotive LMP3 and CN cars, have decided to commit to buying an LMP2 car in order to fully prepare for the 24-hour race.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest endurance race in the world and has been held annually since 1923. It runs on the Circuit de La Sarthe and contains a mix of public roads and racing circuit. The driver line up for the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours is still to be confirmed.
United Autosports became 2016 ELMS LMP3 champions at the penultimate round of the season at Spa Francorchamps, after scoring three wins, a second and third place in five races. In total, the team scored eight podiums from six races with their two Ligier JS P3 sports prototypes.
Zak Brown, Team Owner and Chairman, United Autosports:
“I’m thrilled United Autosports will be able to take up the ACO’s invitation to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We have committed to purchasing our own LMP2 car as it is the best way to prepare for such an important race. We are also looking at entering the 2017 ELMS too. We see it as great potential for the team and so we are working on getting a programme together and will be testing drivers in the coming weeks and months.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“It will be great for Zak and I to bring United Autosports to the Le Mans 24 Hours. It is the most important endurance race in the world and to have our team among the grid will be a fantastic feeling. We have committed to our own Ligier JS P217 as it made perfect sense for the direction we want the team to go in. Now comes the task of putting our test programme together and finding the perfect driver line up for the car.”