Ben Hanley will join United Autosports for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech campaign, partnering with teammates Ben Keating and Alex Quinn in one of two Oreca 07s.

The Brit has prior experience with the United Autosports team, after contesting three rounds of the World Endurance Championship in place of Filipe Albuquerque’s IMSA clash and Tom Blomqvist’s IndyCar duties.

At the 6 Hours of Portimao, he finished on the LMP2 podium and also claimed the Goodyear Wingfoot Award, which is awarded to the driver with the quickest lap times over a double stint.

With the two Oreca 07 LMP2 entries for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Hanley is the final announcement as he will join Keating to make up two full-season drivers, as Quinn will take part in the endurance rounds.

Hanley said: “It’s great to be part of United Autosports’ first full season in IMSA next year.

“I had a great feeling with the team in the few races I did this year and I’m really excited to see what we can achieve in 2024.”

United Autosports CEO Richard Dean added: “Ben [Hanley] is a quality professional with a ton of IMSA and LMP experience.

“We have wanted to work with Ben for quite some time now and we have had him in a United car sporadically this year with great success.

“We now have the chance to turn that into a full season working together alongside Ben Keating and Alex Quinn.

“This is a formidable line-up and underlines how seriously we are taking our full-season IMSA programme next year.”

In the sibling Oreca, Dan Goldburg, Marino Sato, and Paul Di Resta were previously announced as United’s IMSA drivers.

While the Anglo-American squad have never raced a full season in IMSA before, United did compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring last year, where they finished in sixth and fifth positions, in classes of 8 and 10 LMP2 cars.

As the 2024 IMSA entries were confirmed last week, United will enter with their #2 and #22 Orecas, against 10 other entries.

United Autosports and McLaren have announced they will team up to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship’s new-for-2024 LMGT3 class next season.

The partnership will see United Autosports, which currently runs two Oreca 07-Gibsons in the LMP2 class in WEC, switch to the new LMGT3 category, running two McLaren 720s EVO GT3s.

LMP2 is being scrapped from the WEC next year, with both the existing Hypercar class and LMGT3 being oversubscribed for entries. United Autosports will also switch its LMP2 campaign to the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship.

Of course, the LMGT3 programme is subject to approval by the FIA and ACO’s selection committee, which decides and selects all WEC entries. If selected, the United Autosports/McLaren partnership may compete against the likes of Porsche and Manthey, Ford and Proton, Ferrari and AF Corse, BMW and WRT, and Lamborghini and Iron Lynx.

McLaren have notable history at Le Mans, winning the race overall in 1995 with the McLaren F1, both the car and manufacturer’s debut in the French endurance classic. United Autosports, meanwhile, have also won the race once in the LMP2, in 2020. They have also won the LMP2 WEC title once, in 2019-20, and currently sit third in the LMP2 teams standings with one race remaining this year.

“This is a very important project for McLaren on their return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so we are extremely proud to have been selected as the team to represent McLaren in LMGT3 at Le Mans and indeed in the WEC,” said United Autosports CEO Richard Dean.

 “United Autosports’ experience at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship will be invaluable but we know this is a seriously competitive place to be and we are ready for the challenge.”

Meanwhile, Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive, said: “Motorsport remains a fundamental part of McLaren’s future of performance strategy, and we have long viewed the WEC as a natural fit for demonstrating the performance capabilities of our cars.”

“This includes a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans that is an intrinsic part of our enduring success in motorsport and in particular, the Triple Crown which is unique to McLaren as a supercar manufacturer and racing car constructor. 

“We have selected United Autosports, who we feel shares our passion for endurance GT racing as well as the McLaren brand and, like McLaren, has a history of success in motorsport. 

“United Autosports has communicated to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest its intent to field two McLaren 720S GT3 EVOs in the 2024 WEC and we hope that their entry will be accepted. And we are looking forward to racing our rivals in the WEC from 2024.”

United Autosports has announced Dan Goldburg, Marino Sato, and Paul Di Resta as teammates in one of their two Oreca 07 LMP2s for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

As the WEC ends the full season running of the LMP2 class, the Leeds-based team are returning to IMSA with two Oreca 07-Gibsons.

In their other car, only Alex Quinn (full-season driver) and Ben Keating (endurance driver) have been confirmed with one other full-season driver still to be announced.

Sato will be the endurance driver as Di Resta and Goldburg will contest the full seven-round IMSA LMP2 campaign.

“For our team’s first full season in IMSA, we find ourselves in a pretty strong place with our driver signings,” said United Autosports CEO, Richard Dean.

“Dan, Marino and Paul will be super competitive from the outset and are all here to challenge for wins.

“We now have both cars that will be front runners and that’s a great place to be from a data and development position.

“We have a new base in the Jr III facility we can now call our USA home in Charlotte NC.

“It’s been a busy few months putting our IMSA programme together and I couldn’t be happier with where we are today.”

Goldburg has competed in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge racing LMP3 cars since 2020, winning the rounds at Daytona and the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, in addition to a podium finish at Sebring earlier this year.

Last round at the Battle of the Bricks, he made his LMP2 debut and finished on the podium.

“I am thrilled to earn the opportunity to drive for United Autosports in WeatherTech LMP2 in 2024,” he said ahead of what will be his debut LMP2 season.

“I began talking to Richard [Dean] early this year and I’m ecstatic for it to all come together and finally announce our intentions.”

Goldburg continued: “For my first full season in LMP2, I can’t ask for a better possible setup.

“The United Autosports operation is second to none and I know they will help me get up to speed quickly.

“Richard helped pair me with a killer line-up… along with Marino and Paul, I think we’re really ticking all the boxes.

“We’re going to come out swinging in Daytona.”

Di Resta will partner IMSA debutant and endurance driver Sato, as the Scotsman is highly familiar with United Autosports’ LMP2 efforts elsewhere, and has been part of the Peugeot World Endurance Championship efforts since their programme’s inception.

“We mean business, we’re going there to tackle the championship and I want to be part of it,” added di Resta.

“It’s going to be a good move for Dan Goldburg, stepping up to LMP2, and Marino Sato has integrated with the team this year in the ELMS paddock so I think it should make for a good line-up.

I’m excited to get started, combining this new venture with my WEC commitments.

“Thanks to Peugeot for giving me the opportunity to join the United team… now, let’s see what we can do.”

Having based much of his career in the single-seater discipline, Marino Sato debuted into sportscars with United’s efforts in the European Le Mans Series earlier this year, most recently attaining his first win at Aragon with teammates Olly Jarvis and Phil Hanson.

“I’m grateful to continue with United Autosports for a second season – thank you to the team for their trust in me,” commented Marino Sato.

“This will be my second season in sportscars, and my first in the US… I’m really looking forward to the challenge.

“I’ve always wanted to race in America so it’s really exciting.”

Phil Hanson, of the #22 United Autosports Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2, was thrilled with his first ever FIA World Endurance Championship pole position ahead of Sunday’s 6 Hours of Fuji.

For the sixth and penultimate round of the 2023 season, United Autosports’ Hanson claimed his maiden LMP2 pole position in qualifying earlier today, with a time of 1:32.182.

The 24-year-old has been with the Leeds-based team since 2018 where he competed in United’s first 24 Hours of Daytona, in addition to his first full-time European Le Mans Series campaign.

His first full WEC season with United Autosports marked his maiden WEC LMP2 title with teammates Filipe Albuquerque and current Peugeot Hypercar driver Paul di Resta.

“Really happy with pole position today, especially at Fuji where we haven’t been the strongest in the past,” Hanson reflected after the session.

“So to come here and be as competitive as we have been, and ultimately to put it on pole … and for me to be the one who did it … I’m incredibly grateful and very happy with the job I’ve done.

“I’ve got confidence in the car for tomorrow but with all the mixed conditions and lack of long running, I think there’s going to be a bit of learning.

“But I think we’ve got a good package, and starting from pole is the first piece of the puzzle to the ultimate reward at the end, which is our only goal and ambition tomorrow.”

LMP2 was a closely-matched field in qualifying, with the Vanwall Hypercar team starting behind them.

Moreover, such rivals as the #28 JOTA and the #41 Team WRT entries will be keen to grasp the lead off the #22, with a mixed array of conditions thus far in the race weekend.

The #22 crew of Phil Hanson, Filipe Albuquerque and Frederick Lubin will target the car’s second win after their first at the Sebring season-opener.

Sunday’s six-hour race will commence from 3 to 9 am UK time.

United Autosports has officially confirmed Ben Hanley will replace Tom Blomqvist at the upcoming FIA World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Fuji, with Blomqvist occupied with Indycar duties.

Hanley will drive in the #23 United Autosports Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 entry at next week’s 6 Hours of Fuji.

Blomqvist, the regular #23 driver, who will race for Meyer Shank Racing in the Indycar Series next year, will take over from a recovering Simon Pagenaud for the final two consecutive weekends of the 2023 Indycar season.

The latter of which is a round at Laguna Seca, and takes place on the same weekend as the World Endurance Championship Fuji race.

Hanley will join teammates Josh Pierson and Olly Jarvis for the sixth round on the 2023 WEC schedule.

He has already fulfilled a replacement role for the team earlier in the #22 car at the 6 Hours of Portimao and 6 Hours of Monza, when Filipe Albuquerque was occupied with IMSA commitments.

Hanley said: “I’m so excited to be back with the United Autosports team, and really looking forward to racing with Olly [Jarvis] and Josh [Pierson].

“Olly and I have raced each other a lot throughout our careers, from the karting days right through to this year’s ELMS and WEC.

“He’s coming off a great win at ELMS Aragon, so we’ll look to carry that momentum forward.

“Together with Josh [Pierson], who burst onto the scene with his win in Sebring last year and is now on his second year in the WEC, it’s certainly a solid line-up.”

“It’s great to be able to call on Ben for this very important WEC race for the #23 car and for the team,” added United Autosports CEO Richard Dean.

“Ben has been on top form when he’s raced with us in Portimão and Monza, so I have no doubt he can enable us to challenge for the win in Fuji.

“At the same time, we will be keeping an eye on the Indycar race in Laguna Seca, and wishing Tom Blomqvist all the best of luck.”

The 6 Hours of Fuji will take place on 10 September next week.

In an exclusive with Motorsport Week, United Autosports LMP2 driver Olly Jarvis opened up about racing for the Wakefield-based team and also on his past LMP1 spell with Audi.

Last year, the Brit was crowned champion in the final IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season for the DPi class.

His first, long-awaited 24 hour race win came to form at last year’s 24 Hours of Daytona with the Meyer Shank Racing outfit.

Jarvis has spent over a decade racing in the sportscar discipline, accumulating professional relationships and experiences in a variety of prototype and GT machinery.

Aside from a Daytona 24H drive in January with Era Motorsport, his 2023 motorsport campaign has been fully focused with United Autosports.

Thus far, he competed in the Asian Le Mans Series (AsLMS) at the beginning of the year, and intertwined ongoing World Endurance Championship (WEC) and European Le Mans Series (ELMS) seasons in an Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2.

Last year, he returned to the team for a full season, 4 years after first racing with United in 2019, at the 6 Hours of Fuji. This year, the #23 United Autosports crew features Tom Blomqvist joining Josh Pierson and Jarvis, except for when Giedo van der Garde took Blomqvist’s place at Portimao and Monza.

Firstly, Jarvis reflected on being denied a back-to-back 1000 Miles of Sebring LMP2 victory. They were forced to retire from a remarkably rare circumstance, when the on-board camera inside the cockpit came loose and hit the kill switch.

“Unfortunately we had an issue in Sebring, while leading by nearly a lap.

“And with Sebring being points-and-a-half that, it hurt us badly,” said the 39-year-old.

Meanwhile, at Le Mans, he and his teammates came away disappointed.

“We probably didn’t get the result in Le Mans we were hoping for,” he said after finishing sixth in France, missing out on a stronger points haul with double the norm on offer.

“So these two races combined, have really hurt our championship hopes.

“At Le Mans, we had good pace and we were leading the race when a small error cost us dear, and unfortunately that’s motorsport, and that is Le Mans.

“Nowadays, it’s so competitive, you have to have the perfect race and you can’t afford mistakes, when you’ve got a field as strong as there is in LMP2.

“At least two or three cars will go 24 hours with no issues and no mistakes with good pace. That wasn’t the case 10 years ago, but it is now.”

The #23 crew currently sit fourth in the LMP2 Teams’ Championship after just missing on the podium at Monza last month, and sixth at Le Mans before that.

As the most experienced driver in the #23 line-up, Jarvis was keen to share what it was like to work with Pierson, who set the record last year as the youngest ever WEC debutant and race winner.

“He’s very young, but he’s mature. He’s not your typical 17-year-old.

“He’s got a great mentality at the racetrack where he just wants to learn. He’s like a sponge, even to the point of almost liking criticism, and us being hard on him.

“As our relationship continues to grow and improve, he’s getting better and better, but I’m almost even harder on him now than I probably was at the beginning of last year.

“It’s almost easy in the first year for a rookie because there’s no pressure, there’s no expectation, whereas this year I’m looking at Josh and it’s ‘Can he make that step further?’

“Last year, he didn’t know the tracks. So throughout the weekend, you’d see this great progression.

“And what we said this year is, ‘We want you on the pace of where you were last year’ because that then means throughout the weekend, his progression might not be as much — but if you start where you finished off — you’re just going to get better, and he’s done that very well.

“He’s got a very calm mentality about him, he coped with everything we’ve thrown at him. So he’s really impressed not just myself, but the whole team this year.”

Blomqvist, meanwhile, co-drove the Acura ARX-05 DPi with Jarvis last year to the IMSA title, along with the Daytona 24 win at the opening round. The 39-year-old expanded on the continuation of their partnership at United Autosports this year.

“He’s very fast,” said Jarvis on Blomqvist, “but he’s also easygoing and good to work [with].

“I think we all bring something slightly different to the team but in Tom, you’ve got an extremely fast, capable driver, and it just works well. We like the same thing from the car, all three of us have very similar feedback.

“One of the things that’s often overlooked in sportscar racing, is that it’s not just about having three quick guys, it’s having three guys that can work together as a team, progress the car, and drive the team forward.”

So far this year, the #23 crew won at the 6 Hours of Portimao with van der Garde taking place for Blomqvist who had IMSA duties at Long Beach. After their Sebring setback, and the Portimao win, a P2 finish was secured at Spa-Francorchamps.

Jarvis’ relationship with United Autosports’ co-owner Richard Dean stretches as far back as when he was racing in Formula Ford during the early 2000s, and his respect for the team stems from their assured attitude to race weekends, always setting the target to win even if the outcome is not as such.

“I watched what they did,” Jarvis stated while being at Audi’s LMP1 program.

“When Audi pulled out, they (United Autosports) were one of the first teams that you immediately think of.

“I then went on to America (IMSA), but it was fortunate that I made the connection with Richard at the right time with Josh coming on board, and they were looking for a more experienced driver to partner with Josh, like they’ve done with Filipe [Albuquerque] and Phil Hanson.

“That’s something Richard does very well, he finds the right drivers to pair together. It’s very similar to the way Dr. Ullrich (former Head of Audi Motorsport from 1993-2016) used to put his teams together. It wasn’t just about the individual, it was how they would work with the other people on the team.

“It’s a great team, I can’t speak highly enough of them.”

LMP2 is set to be withdrawn as a category from the WEC at the end of this season, to make space for the expanding Hypercar field, and Jarvis shared his disappointment and understanding for its removal.

“The whole LMP2 landscape is changing [and] I think it’s a real shame to lose it from WEC.

“I understand the reasoning, you’ve only got to look at it from a pure numbers point of view that something had to give.

“And in the years where LMP1 was short on numbers, LMP2 really carried the field in many respects.”

The class will continue to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where invitations are drawn from other series and the previous year’s winners, boasting over 60 entries, and making exception to the WEC’s 37-car limit which accommodates the garage spaces available at the other international circuits on the calendar.

In IMSA next year, United are set to field two LMP2 Oreca 07s with their drivers to be announced in due course; the line-up of drivers per car differentiates from the WEC which requires three drivers at every race.

Apart from the four drivers per car at Daytona, two drivers run the full-season, and a third driver will join at the Endurance Cup rounds.

The full-season duo combination pairs an amateur-level (bronze) driver with a professional, as Jarvis described.

“I’ve got nothing but great memories of IMSA.

“The tracks are incredible with superb racing, but the one thing it does do for a professional driver is limit your opportunities, because IMSA [for] most of the year, you run a pro driver, and then a bronze driver.

“Whereas [in] WEC you can have two platinum and a silver, and apart from the endurance races, you’re only going to run two drivers for the majority of the year.”

Confirmations regarding the full IMSA line-ups will take place in due course with ongoing campaigns for United to focus on, although Jarvis recognised the value of his IMSA prototype experience as a potential contender for a seat.

Earlier this year, Audi announced a dramatic restructure to their GT3 projects, in that they would withdraw all factory efforts as their focus remains on their 2026 Formula 1 debut.

Jarvis spent several years driving for the German manufacturer from his 2008 DTM debut, through to his years up until their LMP1 departure, whilst also driving in Audi R8 GT1 and GT3 machinery in between these chapters.

He secured 9 WEC podiums and two wins, having faced misfortune when targeting a Le Mans victory.

“Audi is unrecognisable from the Audi that I raced for, from 2008 to the end of 2016.

“I understand the reasoning, I appreciate they’re going to Formula 1; they’ve moved their resources, primarily to that they’re still currently doing Dakar.

“But the one thing Audi always did, or built up over the years [when] I was there, was their customer base, primarily in the GT3 category.

“And it’s really surprising to see them, almost close that — I know they’re going to continue offering customer support in terms of spares — but it’s nothing like the Audi Sport I was part of that so many people have grown up to see — and I think it’s a real shame not to see them represented in sportscars in any way, in terms of factory support.

“As long as I can remember, Audi has been a major part of motorsport outside of Formula 1, so it’s a real shift in philosophy. But as we know, that happens especially with big car manufacturers, change of board members, [and] change of management.”

He then reminisced on his time at Audi, describing the majesty of the LMP1 dedication from Audi, who last year withdrew plans to develop an LMDh for IMSA and WEC.

“The focus that was given to Le Mans by Audi back then was incredible.

“Even though the World Endurance Championship existed, the whole season centred around Le Mans, the WEC was still growing in status, [and] Le Mans made or broke your year.

“It was such a great time for myself, not just in terms of being part of Audi, but also the cars. The cars were phenomenal.

“We were at the height of a manufacturing-development war where every race, there were new updates and people were just developing the cars at a rate I don’t think we’ll see again.

“At the end of every year, the FIA used to try and restrict us by changing the regulations to slow the cars down. And I remember one year, they estimated that they would slow the cars down by three-four seconds, and we arrived and we gained it all back over winter.

“One thing I’ll say is at the time, I almost didn’t appreciate how quick these cars were.

“It was only when Audi pulled out [and] I remember being in Shanghai (2017), and the Porsche LMP1 passing me.

“I looked in my mirrors and there was no one there. And then about three seconds later, this Porsche just blew past me. The acceleration was out of this world.

“It really was because you had the hybrid and the engine power combined to produce nearly 1000 horsepower back then.

“We are at another golden era (Hypercar), and the manufacturers are back and it’s great to see.”

He concluded his nostalgic recollection of LMP1 cars whilst recognising the diverse range of newly homologated Hypercars, with over thrice more manufacturers than LMP1 ever reached.

The only motorsport photograph in his house showed his head in his hands after leading the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2012 and suffering a puncture with 20 minutes remaining.

“That describes motorsport more than standing on the top step of a podium,” he said.

The current middle ground of international prototype racing is developing. IMSA is welcoming an expanded LMP2 field, waving farewell to LMP3 from its WeatherTech series, and the WEC accommodating the increasing Hypercar field.

With such an accomplished racing record, Jarvis valued his commitment to United Autosports and has, above all, enjoyed all of the LMP2 outings so far this year.

Having faced challenges in the WEC which has hampered the chances of an LMP2 title, Jarvis and the crew are looking for a second win this season to boost their chances in the standings at the upcoming 6 Hours of Fuji on 10 September, and the 8 Hours of Bahrain finale on 4 November.

United Autosports has confirmed Ben Keating and Alex Quinn as drivers for the team’s IMSA WeatherTech LMP2 campaign next year.

The Wakefield-based outfit will return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024, firstly announcing two active IMSA LMP2 teammates in their line-up.

Ben Keating has won the 2022 and 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours in the GTE-Am category, with the latter marking the 100th anniversary of the French classic earlier in June, and has also won the WEC GTE-Am title at Monza.

The bronze-licensed Texan has also been victorious at coveted IMSA races, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2015, and the 12 Hours of Sebring twice in 2021 and 2022.

He has combined GT and LMP2 commitments during the recent years, being affiliated with PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports for LMP2 in IMSA since 2020.

“2024 will be a season of change for me, and I am very excited about it”, said Keating who currently leads the IMSA LMP2 championship.

“I have been with PR1 for the past three years and we have seen an enormous amount of success, but I am really excited to complete the full 2024 IMSA season with United Autosports.

“My past has been awesome and I am equally excited about the future.”

His co-driver will be Alex Quinn, a 22-year-old who is his teammate at PR1 in the current IMSA season as the ‘endurance driver’ in the #52 Oreca.

IMSA’s driver line up is divided so that each entry has two full-time drivers (one professional and one amateur), and an endurance driver who will join them at the Endurance Cup races, with a fourth driver for the 24 Hours of Daytona season-opener (1).

The British driver from Cornwall has outgoing experience in single-seater championships, with a 2018 GT4 effort in British GT.

His ongoing IMSA duties with PR1 will conclude at the IMSA finale, a 10-hour Petit Le Mans race in October, before he partners with Keating at the Daytona 24 Hours next January.

“I’m really excited about this new venture with the United Autosports team”, commented Quinn.

“And, of course, to be joining Ben for another year in IMSA.”

“It’s an honour to be teaming up with United Autosports, a team with so much experience in LMP2.

“I am really enjoying my first season in endurance racing, hopefully Ben and myself can finish the season strongly, and looking ahead, I am feeling positive that we can challenge for the title in 2024 with United Autosports.”

Richard Dean, CEO of United Autosports, added: “The signing of Ben and Alex for IMSA next year is a show of intent from our team.

“We are all very motivated to be working with these talented and proven winners in IMSA.

“We are coming to IMSA to win races and having Ben and Alex join our team gives us every chance of achieving that.”

Keating and Quinn will co-drive one of the team’s two Oreca 07s next year at all seven races utilising the LMP2 class.

With subject to ACO approval, Keating may also compete for United in an eighth race elsewhere.

United Autosports will unveil the rest of their 2024 IMSA LMP2 driver line-up in due course.

Editor’s Note:

United Autosports has clarified that Alex Quinn will be the endurance driver in the 2024 driver line-up in the same car as Ben Keating.

He will not partner Keating for all seven rounds which involve the LMP2 class, but he will compete for the team at all Endurance Cup rounds.

This is five out of the seven rounds: Roar Before The 24/24 Hours of Daytona (January), 12 Hours of Sebring (March), 6 Hours of the Glen (June), Battle on the Bricks (September), Petit Le Mans (October).

See (1) for explanation on IMSA driver line-ups.

Their next driver announcement will follow soon.

Alex Lynn will make his return to the FIA World Endurance Championship, having been confirmed as the sixth and final driver for United Autosports’ two-car LMP2 effort.

Lynn will partner Josh Pierson and Oliver Jarvis aboard the #32 ORECA 07-Gibson, with the other car driven by Filipe Albuquerque, Phil Hanson and Will Owen.

The Briton last contested a full season in WEC with Aston Martin Racing during the 2019-20 campaign, a season that saw him win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTE Pro category. Lynn will combine his WEC commitment with a programme in IMSA with Chip Ganassi Racing.

“It feels great to be coming back to the FIA WEC full time, and especially with United Autosports,” Lynn said. “They are a real world-class team in every area, with a phenomenal track record, and their experience, professionalism and motivation gives us drivers the best possible platform to compete successfully in the WEC.”

“I really enjoyed being part of the team at Le Mans this year and it will be exciting to be part of the world championship again in the incredibly competitive LMP2 category.

“I can’t wait to start working with Olly – who brings a massive amount of experience to the line up – and Josh, with his youth and enthusiasm, and to be gunning for that world title. I’ve got a busy 2022 season ahead and will be race-ready and race-fit from start to finish.”

Lynn has raced for the Anglo-American operation on two previous occasions. He was part of their three-car line-up at Le Mans last August and also raced with the team at the Gulf 12 Hours in 2016.

“Even though we already knew his calibre of racing ability, Alex really impressed us at Le Mans, so we were keen to get him on board for 2022,” added team owner Richard Dean. “Both Alex and Olly will be the perfect teammates for Josh to help bring him along during his first season in the WEC.”

Oliver Jarvis will partner Josh Pierson aboard United Autosports’ second car in the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship.

Jarvis last raced for the Anglo-American squad at the 2019 Six Hours of Fuji, when he stood in for Paul di Resta. The Briton, who will pair his WEC effort with an Acura DPi programme with Meyer Shank Racing, last completed a full season in the WEC in 2017.

That season, racing for Jackie Chan DC Racing in LMP2, brought three victories, including Le Mans, as well as two additional podiums. Prior to that, Jarvis spent four years as part of the Audi LMP1 programme.

“I am over the moon to be joining United Autosports and returning to race a full season in WEC for the first time since winning Le Mans in 2017,” said Jarvis. “Having raced with the team in Fuji in 2019, I know how great they are so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to race a full season with them. 

“I am excited to be teaming up with Josh who will become the youngest ever driver to compete at Le Mans. Having tested with him, I have no doubt he’s more than up to the challenge and is a star of the future.”

“I believe we have the capabilities to challenge for not only wins but also the championship, in what is set to be the most competitive season in LMP2 history.”

United Autosports has already announced the line-up for the other car, with Filipe Albuquerque and Phil Hanson returning to team up with Will Owen. The team will announce the sixth and final driver in the two-car line-up later in the week.

“I have known Oliver for many years now and it’s a pleasure to have seen him grow into the brilliant racing driver he is today,” said team owner Richard Dean. “He had a taste of racing with us at Fuji, so I’m thrilled he has now joined us for a full season of the FIA World Endurance Championship.”

“He is the perfect teammate for Josh and will be able to guide him during his first season in the WEC. I can’t wait for Sebring now.”

Will Owen will make his return to racing after a year on the sidelines, joining United Autosports for the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The 26-year-old will form part of the Anglo-American squad’s line-up for the full WEC campaign, racing alongside Filipe Albuquerque and Phil Hanson. It will be Owen’s first full season in the series.

Additionally, he will complete the team’s line-up at Daytona, driving alongside the previously confirmed Hanson, Guy Smith and Jim McGuire.

“I am overjoyed to be returning to racing and to be back with United Autosports,” Owen said. “The opportunity to race in the full WEC season with Filipe and Phil is a special opportunity, and I am so grateful that it has come to fruition. It also gives me a lot of confidence that I will be driving with two very experienced teammates, and a team that has continued to grow and achieve great results.” 

“I am also excited to be returning to the Rolex 24 at Daytona too. We have a great line-up with Jim, Phil, and Guy, and I think we are really going to enjoy working together. 

“The first time I competed in this race was in 2018 with United Autosports where we finished fourth. I have learned so much since then and can’t wait to return for a chance at a Rolex.”

“Taking a year off from racing was a good decision, and it has allowed me to see a lot of things with a new perspective. I respect the challenge of getting back up to speed since I have not driven in a year, but I believe that once I do, I will be the best I have ever been.”

“This Winter I will have a lot of work to do to get back into driving mode for Daytona, but I am excited by the challenge and also happy that I am working with United again.”

Owen first joined United Autosports in 2017 after transitioning from single seaters. Since then, he has gone on to contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times with the team. He also raced for the Juncos Racing DPi squad in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship in 2019.

“I’m delighted to welcome Will back to the team for the 2022 24 Hours of Daytona and the 2022 WEC season,” said team co-owner Richard Dean. “We were very sad when he decided to move away from racing at the end of the 2020 season, so we are so pleased he has decided to return once again.”

“We love having Will as part of the team, not only is he a fast driver, but he is a pleasure to have around the team too. I’m excited to see his partnership with Phil and Filipe in WEC evolve, as well as seeing him back at Daytona too with Jim, Guy and Phil.”