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Graham Read
Formula 1 Correspondent
11:23 AM 13th June 2022
sports

A Fine Recovery Effort By United Autosports At Le Mans

 
The Wakefield based United Autosports motor racing team overcame adversity to finish 10th and 14th overall and 6th and 10th in the LMP2 class at this weekend’s 90th running of the iconic Le Mans 24 Heures endurance race in France.

United Autosport’s blue and red car 22 had to overcome adversity early in the French endurance classic
United Autosport’s blue and red car 22 had to overcome adversity early in the French endurance classic
Their car 23 piloted by British drivers Alex Lynn and Oliver Jarvis plus Josh Pierson from the USA achieved their impressive sixth in class finish despite a trio of unplanned pit stops early in the race due to tyre delamination issues and sister car 22 pedalled by British driver Phil Hanson, Portugal’s Felipe Albuquerque and the USA’s Will Owen recovered brilliantly from dead last on the opening lap for its 10th in class position come the chequered flag. The latter’s poor start was purely down to being hit by a rival car and punted off the track into the gravel at the very first corner with the long race only seconds old and justifiably resulted in a time penalty for their LMP2 class rival responsible. Little comfort for United’s car which lost two laps limping back to the pits for a new nose and then had to cope with floor and sidepod damage for the rest of the race.
It was a tough race and looked like it could be over for us inside 24 seconds rather than 24 hours, but both cars were still pushing on the very last lap.

Joint team owner Zak Brown commented “What a tremendous fightback by both cars after early race delays, with massive credit due to all six drivers and everyone n the team”, with fellow team owner Richard Dean adding:“It was a tough race and looked like it could be over for us inside 24 seconds rather than 24 hours, but both cars were still pushing on the very last lap.”

United are now second and eighth in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams after three races and will be back in action for round 3 of the European Le Mans Series on 3 July at Monza in northern Italy, just a week before the same iconic circuit holds the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.