United Autosports European season finally gets underway

United Autosports return to racing this weekend at Paul Ricard, for the opening rounds of the 2020 European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup.
 
The British based team, along with the rest of the ELMS field, had their European racing plans put on hold for the last three months, but they are now ready to hit the track for the official test and opening race weekend of the year. 
 
The United Autosports LMP2 team begin their first full year campaigning the Oreca 07 with familiar faces Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque returning to the #22 squad. The #32 car will be piloted by Will Owen, Alex Brundle and newcomer to the team, Job van Uitert. Both cars will be aiming for the championship win this year in United’s fourth year competing in the LMP2 category.
 
This year the LMP3 team will run the brand new Ligier JS P320, with reclaiming the ELMS LMP3 title they won in 2016 and 2017 firmly the aim. The #2 crew is made up of team regular Wayne Boyd, who this year will be joined by newcomers Tom Gamble and Rob Wheldon. The #3 Ligier will be driven by Jim McGuire who makes the step up to ELMS after racing in the Michelin Le Mans Cup for the last three years with United. He will be joined by Andrew Bentley and Duncan Tappy for the 2020 season.
 
United Autosports also return to the Michelin Le Mans Cup in 2020, with their team consisting of two new line ups. The #23 Ligier JS P320 will be driven by John Schauerman and Wayne Boyd, with Daniel Schneider and Andy Meyrick racing the #24. As announced last week, Gerry Kraut and Scott Andrews will no longer race for the team in 2020, but have confirmed their commitment to the 2021 season.
 
The season opener consists of the official two-day ELMS prologue on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the Michelin Le Mans Cup prologue on Thursday. The race weekend officially begins on Friday with Michelin Le Mans Cup FP1 at 11:10. The two-hour Michelin Le Mans Cup race begins at 16:30 on Saturday 16^th July with the four-hour European Le Mans Series race starting at 11:00 on Sunday 17^th July.