British sportscar team United Autosports launches LMP3 programme
Leading British sportscar squad United Autosports will expand to field an attack in the new LMP3 class of the European Le Mans Series next season
The Anglo-American team has placed an order for two of the new Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 prototypes and hopes to take delivery of the first chassis in the coming weeks.
The team will use the first car to conduct a test and development programme across the course of this year, and it plans to make its competitive debut at the final ELMS round at Estoril in Portugal on October 18. So far no drivers have been signed.
United Autosports managing director Richard Dean said: "The timing is right for us to move into sports prototypes and a series like the ELMS.
"The Ginetta LMP3 car provides the perfect opportunity for teams and drivers to progress into European competition and is an affordable racing car.
"Ginetta is based close to us and it made sense for us to join forces to help them on their path towards the Le Mans 24 Hours.
"Getting the order in early means we're in a great position to talk to drivers and plan for next year.
"We're hoping to have a deal in place to race before the end of the year, because testing is all well and good but competitive mileage is also a big benefit."
United Autosports was a mainstay of the British GT Championship in recent years, before withdrawing to concentrate on the lower-tier GT Cup Championship this season while it awaits the launch of the new raft of 2016 GT3 cars. The squad also contested last year's British Touring Car Championship.
The expansion into LMP3 marks the Leeds-based team's first full-time foray into European prototype competition.
Team co-founder Zak Brown added: "LMP3 is a great concept and the ideal starting point for this team to being our journey towards Le Mans.
"The ELMS is going from strength to strength and the collaboration between the ACO and IMSA [American motorsport organiser] means there could be opportunities to race Stateside too. It's a very exciting programme."
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| Series | General |
| Author | Robert Ladbrook |
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