■FIA GT3 European Championship regulars tackle legendary Spa 24 Hours■Mark Blundell, Eddie Cheever and Stefan Johansson make Belgian race débuts■Team Co-Owners Zak Brown and Richard Dean amongst eight driver squad■High-profile sponsors adorn immaculately presented Audi R8 LMS sports cars
The American owned United Autosports team, formed only earlier this year, will contest its maiden 24 hour race when a brace of Audi R8 LMS GT3 class sports cars line-up resplendent in red, white and blue livery for the 63rd running of the 24 Hours of Spa in Belgium next weekend (July 31-August 1).
The progressive UK-based team switches from this season’s normal one-hour FIA GT3 European Championship “sprint” races to the historic twice-around-the-clock encounter at Spa. Its driver and sponsor line-ups have been complimented for this one-off marathon while various “long distance” components have been fitted to its Audi sports cars for the occasion.
Former Le Mans 24 Hour race winners Mark Blundell (GB) and Stefan Johansson (Sw) plus former Indianapolis 500 race winner Eddie Cheever (USA) have been drafted into the United Autosports driver squad as have Emil Assentato (USA) and Alain Li (F) with regular FIA GT3 European Championship drivers, Mark Patterson (USA) and Zak Brown (USA), while Richard Dean (GB), completes the “stellar” line-up. Brown and Dean are Co-Owners of United Autosports – the only American team entered in the Spa race.
Meanwhile season-long sponsors Remington, Cerruti and LG Electronics are joined by Roger Dubuis Watches, FXDD, Road & Track, Legends of Motorsports and the Singapore Exchange for the Belgian race.
Since the Spa Test Day earlier this month (July 7) in which the United Autosports Audi sports cars set the sixth (2m 26.394s) and ninth (2:27.289) fastest times, various components offered by Audi Sport’s customer sport center in Ingolstadt (Germany) have now been fitted necessitating round-the-clock activity at the team’s race shop near Leeds, West Yorkshire (England).
Changes include suspension components, running gear comprising of uprated drive shafts and CV joints, “24 hour race specification” front and rear bumpers, new lighting and tire pressure monitors. The Audi R8 LMS remains in normal FIA GT3 European Championship specification, which recently has seen a weight penalty of 15kg but offset by a small power increase, plus a 100-liter fuel tank for Spa.
A near 50-car field comprising of 26 in the GT3 category, eight of which will be Audi R8 LMS sports cars, is expected to contest the 24 Hours of Spa. Pre-qualifying is staged on Thursday (1400-1530) prior to three qualifying sessions at 1930-2030, 2145-2230 and 2245-2330. A warm-up is staged at 0910-0930 on Saturday (July 31) with the race getting underway at 1600.
An Audi R8 LMS achieved third place overall and winner of the G2 category in last year’s corresponding Spa race. Over eight hours of this year’s race will be broadcast “live” on Motors TV throughout Europe (Saturday 1540-1700, 1830-2100; Sunday 1030-1200, 1400-1630). Race fans can follow the progress of United Autosports throughout the race via Twitter: @unitedautosport or Facebook: unitedautosports
* Times quoted are “local” Central European Time.
