United Autosports Takes Seventh In Qualifying For Tomorrow's Bathurst 12 Hours

·        Patterson, Yu and Li revel in their first laps at Bathurst

·        United Autosports Audi R8 LMS runs perfectly at awesome Mount Panorama

·        Tire strategy puts team in strong position for the race

·        Patterson avoids kangaroo in first qualifying!

Qualifying for the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour classic GT endurance event went exactly to plan today for the United Autosports trio of drivers in their Audi R8 LMS as the team acclimatized to the spectacular Mount Panorama circuit.

US-based South African Mark Patterson, Hong Kong-based Frenchman Alain Li and Hong Kong’s Frank Yu did everything asked of them by Team Manager Richard Dean, each driver setting a good lap time, with Patterson clocking up the team’s fastest time of 2m 13.0757s to put them seventh on the grid for tomorrow’s 12 hour race.

The times of the three drivers were aggregated over the two qualifying sessions to give the car its grid position, and overall, on the team’s first visit to Bathurst, the drivers did an admirable job around a circuit that reputably can take years to learn. And that was all while avoiding kangaroos on track; as the first qualifying session began, a message was flashed to the teams to say: 'Kangaroos on the circuit at turn 18', at which point, Patterson radioed in to say: "Woah! Just missed one!"

On arrival on Thursday morning, Patterson, Li and Yu were given some coaching by fellow Audi R8 driver, Australian Craig Lowndes in a road car around the undulating circuit to help familiarize them with the tricky rollercoaster-type undulations.

With an allowance of only 10 sets of Michelin tires for the entire qualifying sessions and race, the team strategy was to use only one set of tires for all three drivers in qualifying and save the rest of the allocation for the race. Thus each driver went out, set a respectable time and then returned to the pits.

That was how it remained through the shorter second half hour qualifying session later in the day in very hot conditions, during which each driver simply went out, set a time and returned to the pits with the rest of the time being used for pit stop practises.

All the three drivers are delighted with the whole Bathurst experience, which for each has been on their ‘must do’ list of races. Patterson, Li and Yu are all experienced endurance racers and the Anglo-American team is aiming for a podium at the end of the 12 hours, which is streamed live at http://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/, starting at 06.15am local time.

From left to right, Alain Li, Mark Patterson and Frank Yu

Alain Li (F), Age: 51. Born: Caen, France. Lives: Hong Kong:

“This is a great track and considering we only did a few laps yesterday, every lap out you're still learning something and gaining more speed. Everybody did a great job and P7 is a pretty good position to start from.

“We had quite a lot of help from Craig Lowndes, who showed us where the lines were, braking points and so on and that helped a great deal. The Audi is perfectly suited to this sort of track and the engineers have given us a great car. The brakes are phenomenal and you need good brakes around here because there's little run-off. The turn in on the car is really sharp, the pick up on the power make for a brilliant, brilliant package.”

Mark Patterson (SA), Age 60. Born: Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Lives: Bronxville, NY, USA:
“We had a comfortable 10 or 11 laps each yesterday; all scoring in the 2m 17s so it seemed like quite a challenge to get out there and race against guys who really, really know the track. But the car with new tires and lighter fuel felt so much better. We'd learned a lot [from yesterday] by going through the data and all of us pulled in three seconds or better on our prior lap time.

“Obviously we can't beat the guys who have slept and walked and talked and raced this wonderful racetrack on pure lap times, but the car is in fabulous shape so if we can go garageless the whole time - trust me - we'll be fighting it out for a podium in the end. This is going to be a great race!”

Frank Yu (Hong Kong), Age: 48. Born: Hong Kong. Lives: Hong Kong:
“We have put in some good laps and being our first time here, I think we have done well. We used one set of soft tires for the entire duration of qualifying for all three drivers - and I was the last one out.


"Richard and Erik have a strategy and told me to do just one lap of about 2 minutes 18s and you're done, and that's exactly what I did. We need to do the least amount of pit stops we can [during the race] so nursing the tires will be critical and finishing the race is the most important.”

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:
“The regulations state 10 sets of tires are available to teams from the start of qualifying to the end of the race so it's easy with two qualifying sessions totaling two hours to go through too many sets of tires and not have enough for the race. We decided to use only one set today which meant the first guy out would get the best of the tires, which was Mark.

“Alain went out and did a great job to pretty much match Mark's time. Frank had got the worst of the tires and he's improved again on yesterday, so seventh on the grid is good and only one set of tires used gives us nine new sets for us to play with tomorrow. But we'll obviously be double stinting some tires with 12 or 13 stops; we're not sure when in the race yet - we'll see what the weather is like!”

United Autosports Heads Down Under For Bathurst 12 Hours

·        Patterson, Yu and Li take on driving duties in Bathurst

·        Audi R8 LMS – winner of last year’s Bathurst – gives United Autosports team 
proven race-victor

·        Final winter warm-up race before season starts

Above: Mark Patterson and Frank Yu took to the wheel of the #26 United Autosports Audi R8 LMS last month in the Dunlop 24h of Dubai

United Autosports heads down under to race one of its Audi R8 LMS GT3 cars in the spectacular Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour race on February 24-26 with a trio of top drivers tackling the classic GT endurance event in Australia.

US-based South African Mark Patterson will share cockpit duties with Hong Kong’s Frank Yu and Hong Kong-based Frenchman Alain Li, and while none of the drivers have raced at Bathurst before, each has always harbored the dream of competing in this race.

Bathurst is the third winter pre-season race - after Dubai and Abu Dhabi - to be contested by the Anglo-American Leeds-based team. United Autosports makes its début at the circuit, the Australian track having been made famous for its spectacular Touring Car races, and the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour GT event will test both men and machine to the limit around the awesome 6.213 km-long roller-coaster Mount Panorama circuit.

The Audi is a proven 24-hour race winner, having won last year’s Spa 24 Hour race, the 2011 Blancpain Endurance Series, and not to mention last year’s Bathurst 12 Hours.

Patterson, Yu and Li have all raced the United Autosports Audi with great success on several occasions and have taken many podiums between them. All three are experienced long-distance drivers and know exactly what it takes to succeed at this level. As the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour gets underway on February 26, the whole team is confident of making its mark in this historic event.

Above: Alain Li raced for United Autosports in the Total 24 Hours of Spa in 2010 and 2011

Alain Li (F), Age: 51. Born: Caen, France. Lives: Hong Kong:

“I have dreamed about racing at Bathurst since I first started watching the races on the BBC in the ‘80s when the rivalry between Peter Brock and Dick Johnson was at its peak. The track looked amazing on TV and the coverage from Channel 9 in Australia with live on board 'chats' with the drivers as they raced bumper to bumper over the mountain was spectacular. The chance to fulfill one of my racing ambitions with United Autosports in the Audi R8 - and with Mark and Frank as team mates - is literally a dream come true. The Audi took the first two places in last year's race and will hopefully be as competitive again in 2012. I have every confidence in Richard and the entire team to deliver a great package, however it will be a first for everyone involved and a steep learning curve but I’m sure we’ll progress in every session and to be well up at the finish. Mark and Frank are great drivers; I’ve raced with both and I think we are capable of springing a surprise with a little luck.” 

Mark Patterson (SA), Age 60. Born: Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Lives: Bronxville, NY, USA

“I’ve been to Australia and watched this great race on TV but have never been there in person, so the challenges of the track itself are very appealing.  I’m told it takes half a dozen races, just like the much longer Nürburgring, to get any kind of a grip on the subtleties of this track. I’ve driven with Alain twice before in the Spa 24 Hour race, and he’s reliable and quick, while Frank and I have yet to race together. I hope not to embarrass him! United Autosports and I have had a very exciting and rewarding 2-year relationship that is already spilling into 2012. It is always the neatest and most professional team on the grid.”

Frank Yu (Hong Kong), Age: 48. Born: Hong Kong. Lives: Hong Kong:
“This is my first time at Bathurst and being a street circuit it’s always been one of the events on top of my ‘to do’ list. The Audi R8 LMS has proven its reliability with some good results – including winning at Bathurst last year - so I’m quite confident the car will do well. I’ve partnered Alain before in three or four endurance events; he’s quick, consistent, fit and great as team mate. It’ll be my first time to partner Mark and I’m looking forward to it. It will be great to team up with United Autosports again as it’s a very professional team and everyone is great to work with, while Richard is a good leader and friend. I can’t wait to be there!”

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:
“I’m really looking forward to taking the team to Bathurst, which is one of those iconic circuits where we vowed we would race when Zak and I set up the team, so it’s fulfilling another of our dreams. Although we don’t underestimate what a difficult circuit Mount Panorama is to learn, I’m confident with Mark, Frank and Alain in the team’s Audi R8 LMS, they will be quick learners and I’m expecting a top result, especially after an Audi won the event last year!”

2012 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Timetable (all times local; GMT +11)
Friday, February 2408:15 - 08:50 Practice 1 - Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
11:00 - 11:35 Practice 2 - Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
14:50 - 15:25 Practice 3 - Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour

Saturday, February 2508:15 - 09:45 Qualifying 1- Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
16:30 - 17:00 Qualifying 2 - Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour
             
Sunday, February 2606:15 - Pit Exit Opens
06:30 - Start of the Amor All Bathurst 12 Hour
18:30 - Finish of the Amor All Bathurst 12 Hour

United Autosports Sets Out 2012 Blancpain Title Intent With Star-Studded Driver Announcement

      Le Mans 24 Hour winner and double American Le Mans Series Champion David Brabham joins United Autosports in title bid

·      Massive coup for team as McLaren GT-factory driver, GP2 race winner and British Formula 3 Champion, Álvaro Parente joins Leeds-based outfit

·      United Autosports-managed exciting youngster Matt Bell joins champions in mighty Pro Class McLaren MP4-12C GT3 entry

A United Autosports McLaren MP4-12C GT3 car in action at the Autosport Show in the UK earlier this month

World class drivers David Brabham (Australia) and Álvaro Parente (Portugal) will join United Autosports’ highly-rated youngster, Matt Bell (England) for one the most impressive line-ups in the six-round 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series; and with the sole intention of taking the Pro Class crown.

The Leeds-based team has put together a trio of winning drivers in one of its two all-new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars, and each of these all-out racers is hungry to add the prestigious Blancpain title to his portfolio.

David Brabham, the youngest son of three-times F1 World Champion, Sir Jack Brabham, has established himself as a world class sportscar driver. Following a season in Formula 1 in 1990 with the Brabham team - originally founded by his father - and another brief encounter in 1994, David moved into sportscars, the pinnacle of his career being winning at Le Mans. He took double GT1 class titles for Aston Martin Racing in 2007/8 preceding the outright victory with Peugeot. He also raised the bar by clinching the American Le Mans Series title twice in 2009 and 2010.

Co-driving alongside Brabham will be exciting Portuguese racer and McLaren GT-factory driver Álvaro Parente, the 2005 British Formula 3 and 2007 Renault 3.5 Champion joining United Autosports as a very valuable addition to the Anglo-American team. Parente is a race winner in the Formula 1 feeder series GP2 and a recent McLaren signing to develop the new 12C GT3 sportscar. Parente’s experience behind the wheel of the McLaren supercar will prove invaluable as the team switches marques this year.

Managed by United Autosports and youngest of the team’s #22 Pro car line-up, is 22-year old Matt Bell, who has been ear-marked as a future sportscar champion. Matt has been a revelation during the first two seasons with the team, and gets his big chance in 2012 alongside two extremely quick and proven champions.

As previously announced the #23 Pro/Am entry crew is equally impressive with former Formula 1 driver and Indycar race winner Mark Blundell spearheading the crew in his first full-time racing commitment since finishing his Indycar career in 2000. The Royston-based driver will share the McLaren cockpit with United Autosports’ team co-owner and regular sportscar racer, American Zak Brown, and US-domiciled South African, Mark Patterson to produce a second formidable squad in the European series.

The two-car McLaren MP4-12C GT3 team heads to Monza on February 14/15th for its initial shakedown and test session with all six drivers.

Still an exceptionally young team, United Autosports - which is co-owned by American Zak Brown and Briton, Richard Dean - enters its third season of GT racing in 2012, with the very specific goal of taking its first major title in sportscar racing.

David Brabham (Aus), Age 45. Born: Wimbledon, UK. Lives: Henley-on-Thames, UK:

“I am very excited to be joining United Autosports; I have seen them in the paddock and on the race track and I was always impressed with their presentation and performances. They are a small team with big ambitions, so I am very happy to part of the team. I’ve had over 20 years of racing at a pretty good level and have worked for many factory teams, like BMW, McLaren, Panoz, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bentley, Acura and Peugeot, so I have a lot of knowledge in developing cars, racing them and seeing how best to work with people and help get the most out of them. 

“I raced a McLaren F1 supercar in Japan in 1996 and won the Japanese GT500 Championship, so it is great to race with them again. The McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is a beautiful looking car and I am sure it will be a lot of fun to drive. I am really looking forward to driving it with two fast team mates, and as always my expectations and goals are to win. I saw Álvaro race in Formula 3 and he was exceptional and has become a top driver in the sport. I don't know Matt that well, but if the team have signed him up, then he must be good. I have known Richard Dean for a long time and we raced together in Formula 3 in 1989, so it’s great we will be working together to help propel United Autosports into a winning team this year.”

Álvaro Parente (POR), Age 27. Born: Porto, Portugal. Lives: Porto, Portugal:

“I'm very happy to be racing for United Autosports in the Blancpain series and I know United is a strong and ambitious team, and that we will have all the correct ingredients to have a great year. We have a strong driver line-up and together with the team and the MP4-12C GT3 we will be looking good this year, and I can't wait to start racing! The championship is competitive and I really like the tracks we will be racing at such Spa, Monza and Silverstone where I have had some very good races.”

Matt Bell (UK), Age 22. Born: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. Lives: Barningham, UK:

“This will be my third season since United Autosports’ co-owners Richard Dean and Zak Brown plucked me out of Ginetta G50s, and I can't wait for it! Having a good relationship with your team makes it much easier to turn up and get on with the job of driving. The Blancpain Endurance Series had phenomenal success in its first season last year and seems to have grown yet again for 2012. We took part in the Spa 24 Hours last year and it was an extremely competitive grid so I'm expecting more of the same this season.

“Although I haven't been out in the McLaren yet it looks fantastic, and with the company’s pedigree in both Formula 1 and sportscar racing, I'm expecting it to be an excellent car to drive too; it certainly looked very fast in the selected development races last year! What I'm most looking forward to though, is our driver line-up; to be sharing a car with McLaren driver Álvaro, as well as one of the most successful sportscar drivers in recent history in David Brabham, is a mouth-watering prospect and an excellent opportunity for me too.”

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:

“Zak and I have been working hard on putting together our ideal line-up for our Pro car entry into the 2012 Blancpain series, and this is it! With Brabham, Parente and Bell we have every chance of success, and collectively the whole team has its eye on the goal of taking the title. I couldn’t be happier with the quality, speed and experience we have in the driver line-up. These guys will help further develop the car and the team, and will get every last 1/100th of a second out of the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3!”

United Autosports Commits To December’s Gulf 12 Hours Event

• Team commits to Abu Dhabi race with two McLaren MP4-12C GT3s

• Strong showing by top teams contributes to return

• Sensational podium on début after 12 hours racing for UK-based team


Following on from yesterday’s inaugural Gulf 12 Hours at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and its sensational podium position, United Autosports can confirm its entry in the second running of the event.

In a move from this year’s January slot, the next Gulf 12 Hours will be later this year in December 2012. The exact date has yet to be announced.

The Anglo-American team confirmed its entry in this inaugural event back in October and remained committed to being on the grid with one of its Audi R8 LMS cars, in which it last night was in the lead battle up to a finish line sprint.

Although the event is still very much in its infancy, United Autosports joined world-class, international teams such as AF Corse (Italian), Kessel Racing (Swiss), Autorlando (Italian) and Aylezo Motorsports (Malasian) on the starting line in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Team owners Richard Dean and Zak Brown have been so impressed with the track, organization and competition that they have, without hesitation, agreed to enter the team’s two McLaren MP4-12C GT3s for the next fixture.

Above: United Autosports will return to Abu Dhabi in December with two McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:

“It’s a difficult job getting an event up and running from nothing so I applaud everyone involved. It’s been professionally run - the venue is out of this world, and to have high-class competition such as AF Corse and Kessel Racing has been great.

“We [United Autosports] love doing one-off events like this and others such as Macau, Daytona 24 and – only last week – the Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours. This event’s got the potential to be right up there with the best of them, especially with this fantastic circuit as host.

“We will have had the 12C GT3 for a full season by December and I’m sure I’ll have no problems in filling the driving seats.”

Andrea Ficarelli (IT), Director Driving Force Limited, Organizers of the Gulf 12 Hours
"For us, this first race is to 'break a wall'; to move it from being a project to an established event. So now everyone can see that this event is something real and it has all of the qualities to become a major event in endurance racing. Even if the number of teams for the first race has not been very high, the quality has been very, very high and it is the first sign of the potential of this event."

“We are aware that there is very strong interest from teams to come here and this confirmation that United Autosports will run two McLarens in December is exactly what we were hoping for and we obviously welcome it. We have had top teams from Italy, from Switzerland and the Anglo-American team United Autosports, which all contribute to making the event even more international.”

Above: One of United Autosports' McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars in the

Live Action Arena at the Autosport International Show in the UK earlier this month

Autosport Show photo credit: Jakob Ebrey Photography

United Autosports Gulf 12 Hour Victory Thwarted By Pace Car With Just 30 Minutes To Run

·      Dynamic performance by Dalziel,  Potolicchio and Popow claims team a fantastic third place in Audi R8 LMS

·      Suspense-filled race provides drama to the finish after 12 hours

·      In one of the closest GT3 races in history United Autosports in the lead battle up to finish line sprint

In one of the tensest finishes to any endurance race, the United Autosports trio of Scot Ryan Dalziel and Venezuelan pair, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow drove an inspired race, leading the inaugural running of the Gulf 12 Hours at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on yesterday with just 30 minutes to the finish.

With half an hour of the race left, Dalziel had the lead and was heading for certain victory until the safety car negated the team’s hard-earned advantage. Once back under the green flags and right on the tail of the Audi R8 LMS, the two Ferraris of Marco Cioci and Philipp Peter just picked him off on the long straights and a frustrated Dalziel took a valiant third just place 9.884s behind the winner after 299 laps and 12 hours of racing. The top three GT3 cars were covered by just nine seconds at the flag.

Keeping up the momentum from the Dubai 24 Hours, United Autosports campaigned a sole Audi R8 LMS for the Duncan Batteries, Taxand and Soloson-sponsored drivers in Abu Dhabi, Dalziel posting a 2m11.976s best lap time for the Anglo-American squad to start third in the race.

There was plenty of action around the 3.45-mile circuit throughout the 12 hours, which started in daylight and finished in the evening under the infamous Yas Island floodlights. The 12 hour race was split into two parts of six hours duration each with a 90 minute break in between.

Dalziel started the race for United Autosports, maintaining his fourth grid slot at the start and successfully fending off an attack by one of the AF Corse cars. Potolicchio brought the car up to third with Popow getting into the driving seat after 81 laps and taking second place following a rapid pit stop by the crew.

A longer stop to change front brake pads with 1hr 37 minutes remaining dropped the Audi back to third and now it was imperative to stay on the same lap as the two Ferraris ahead. Popow, now in the #5 Audi, locked his front bumper onto the leading Ferrari and with eight minutes to run, forged his way past to finish the first six hours in third place and crucially on the same lap as the Ferraris.

Potolicchio was back at the wheel for the start of the second part of the race and was almost immediately in trouble when the #90 AF Corse Ferrari ran straight into him, losing Enzo about 17 seconds to recover from a resulting spin. When the safety car was deployed again, Enzo made his mandatory pit stop handing the reins to Alex, who began to hone in on the #3 Ferrari. Another change to Dalziel and the Audi needed another set of brake pads, which the team changed in record time, exiting the pits just as the safety car was released onto the circuit yet again.

With just over two hours left, Potolicchio was involved in a do-or-die dogfight with the Kessel Ferrari, the Venezuelan snatching second after a riveting performance. The next pit stop coincided perfectly with another safety car period, this time while Popow was in the car, and he was able to hold station in second place behind the #3 Ferrari, which was a pit stop behind.

However, the final half hour was simply nail-biting as the team willed Dalziel to stay ahead to the finish. When the safety car was deployed with 36 minutes left on the clock, his lead was eroded and as the race went green again, he could no longer hold off the two Ferraris which had the pace on the straights and he brought the Audi home in third for a fine podium finish.

Ryan Dalziel (GB), Age 29. Born: Glasgow, Scotland UK. Lives: Orlando, FL, USA:

“We knew that we were up against the factory Ferrari 458s and United Autosports gave us a really good car. We all drove the wheels off it all day - all the guys did an incredible job. We went a little bit off-strategy, but came out in the lead and everything was going perfectly until the last safety car which was the last thing we wanted.

”It was a difficult race - for sure second was on the cards, but we got a podium; third place is good. We accomplished everything we came out here to do - we wanted to represent North American and South American racing, and we mixed it with some really good guys and great teams so we’re really happy to be part of this. We’re very grateful to United Autosports and between the three of us, thank you to everybody for having us.”

Enzo Potolicchio (VE), Age 43. Lives: Caracas, Venezuela:

“The strategy worked really well - I was able to pass the leading Ferrari and held off the other one coming out of the pits which was really good to lead for a while. We actually pulled out a little bit and I handed the car over in the lead. We did some really good stints and kept the car on the lead lap most of the race. It's unfortunate - we could have had a little bit more luck but unfortunately the luck wasn't there for us.”

Alex Popow (VE), Age 36. Lives: Lecheria, Venezuela:

“This has been a sweet and sour experience; in the beginning we were struggling with trying to go six hours with the brakes and that's one of the things that didn't work for us and we lost some time [changing the pads]. But the car was great. Ryan did a good job; the Ferraris were so fast on the straight but we were faster on the slow parts of the track.

”The best part of the race for me, the moment when I was most inspired was trying to go to the end of the first 6-hours on the limit and it paid off because in the end we were able to keep it on the same lead lap to start the second part of the race on the lead lap, which was crucial to being in contention for the last 15 minutes.”

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:

“It doesn’t get much closer than that; 12 hours racing, three cars covered by nine seconds. I thought we had it there but the safety car that came out with 20 minutes to go cancelled out our lead and putting the three cars together made for quite a race at the end. We had a good strategy on our initial pit stops and it gave us something to play with at the end which put us back into the lead, so credit to all the team on that.

“I couldn’t have been happier to be in the lead after 11 hours and 45 minutes. You just don’t expect it to be a sprint race like that for 12 straight hours. AF Corse, a great team, and Kessel, they’ve all won championships before, so it feels hurtful right now that we’ve got so close and we’re only third but it’s no disgrace to be beaten by class teams like that and it shows how far we’ve come. We didn’t make a mistake and I think we made time up. Unfortunately the Audi’s a little bit heavier on brakes than the Ferrari, so we had to do an extra brake pad change in both races, which the Ferraris didn’t, so I was very pleased to make that time back up in the pit stops again.

"Long distance races are all about team work and strategy but the three drivers, I have to say, were very close, very evenly matched; they didn’t make a mistake and really kept us in with a shout right to the end.”

Photo credit: John Dagys

United Autosports Trio Qualify In Strong Third For Gulf 12 Hours

 ·      Starworks Motorsport drivers take Audi R8 LMS to superb top three in qualifying at Yas Marina Circuit

·      Competitive GT3 field leaders covered by less than half a second

·      United Autosports highly-impressed with fantastic Formula 1 circuit

United Autosports continued its account in the Middle East for the Gulf 12 Hours at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi today with a blistering third fastest time in qualifying, Scot Ryan Dalziel and Venezuelan pair, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow, planting the Audi R8 LMS firmly third in class on the grid for tomorrow’s 12 hour race.

Sixteen cars have been entered for the first ever endurance race around the state-of-the-art 3.45-mile circuit on Yas Island, with a combination of GT3, GT4 and GTC-level Cup cars, as well as FIA CN-class purpose-built prototypes. As in Dubai for last week’s 24 Hour race, United Autosports has the sole Audi R8 LMS on the grid.

The Leeds-based team was one of only three outfits competing in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with AF Corse’s Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 and the Autorlando Porsche 997 GT3-R.  In addition, the world class competition also features a second AF Corse Ferrari and the Kessel Racing Ferrari 458. The United Autosports Audi was one of several top GT cars juggling the times throughout the four qualifying sessions and covered by half a second at the finish, with Dalziel's 2:11.976s best lap time for the Anglo-American squad.

All three drivers put in excellent performances to finish qualifying third in class, and the very first Gulf 12 Hours race - with the Avelon Formula 1 Wolf GB 08 CN2 class car on pole position - begins tomorrow in daylight and ends under the floodlights, which has given the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit an enigmatic ambiance.

Having set some of the fastest laps during the Dubai 24 Hour race last weekend, the Duncan Batteries, Taxand and Soloson-sponsored United Autosports Audi is expected to produce an inspired performance tomorrow.

After the first six hours – during which time the teams must make five stops each - there will be a 90-minute break during which time the teams will be able to work on the cars before the second six hours starts during the night hours and another five stops during that period. Race 1 takes the green flag tomorrow at 09:30 am local (12:30 am ET/05:30am GMT), with Race 2 set for 5 pm local (08:00 am ET/13:00pm GMT). 

Ryan Dalziel (GB), Age 29. Born: Glasgow, Scotland UK. Lives: Orlando, FL, USA:

“It's been good today - what an amazing place to come to and experience for the first time. After seeing it on TV, for us just coming over here and being able to tick one of those famous venues off your driver list has been excellent. The format [of the day] has been excellent; we've had lots of track time and all three of us are up to speed. We got a third fastest lap in qualifying and we're really happy with that; we're competitive against the Ferraris, and United Autosports has given us a very good, easy car to drive with the Audi R8 LMS. I'm just loving it and looking forward to the race tomorrow."

Enzo Potolicchio (VE), Age 43. Lives: Caracas, Venezuela:

"We got here yesterday and when you take a look at this beautiful place - probably the best track [I've been to]. It's very technical, very fast and we've only had an hour each to learn the track before qualifying but we are happy where we are and we'll have a good car for the race. We've been having a good run - we've qualified third with Ryan doing an excellent job at the end. The race strategy will just be to be fast and consistent; the Avon Tires have been good; there's no problems with dirt and sand like we had in Dubai. The Ferrari has shown some speed but we have shown we can be competitive."

Alex Popow (VE), Age 36. Lives: Lecheria, Venezuela:

“This is the best track I have ever been to. It's a very technical drive - you have to be fast, cautious and make no mistakes because there are walls and fences everywhere to catch you out. We have been getting to know the track since we already got to know the car in Dubai and actually we are very happy. Ryan just put the third fastest lap for qualifying which is nice. There are not many cars in the field but it will be a hard 12 hours - there are cars that will be very hard to beat and it will be a long race. We will go for it and as always try and win the race - it will not be easy, but for sure we will give it a shot."

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:

“We’ve completed 700kms today, which doesn’t look a huge amount in laps but it’s a long lap around the Yas Marina circuit. There have been a lot of sessions and the Audi has gone absolutely faultlessly which I’m pleased about. After Dubai, we had some electrical parts flown out by Audi and we’ve changed all of those and we certainly haven’t had a problem today or anything showing on the diagnostics data either. All three drivers seem very happy and they’ve all been really quick. If this race had stayed with the event regulations where the aggregate of the three qualifying sessions - as in the three fastest laps by the three drivers averaged out - we would have been on pole comfortably because the three of them are very close and very competitive.

“I think the CN2 cars will be a problem tomorrow but hopefully their extra pit stop penalty will mean that at the end of the race, by our calculations, every six hours they lose two laps with the extra time they have to stay in the pits. They have an extra 45 seconds on each stop they do, which is five stops more than us. It’s a two-class race – a sports-protoype class and a GT class and in an effort to come out with a balance of performance across the two classes, the lighter more downforce sports-protoypes have got a longer pit stop than the GT cars, which hopefully by the end of the race equals itself out.

“It’s a great inaugural event on a fantastic circuit and United Autosports is honored to be here as part of it. The organizers couldn’t be more accommodating, this event is definitely going to get bigger and we’ll be part of it.”

 

United Autosports Races On To Abu Dhabi With Top Result On The Agenda

·      Busy team heads for the magical Yas Marina Circuit for inaugural Gulf 12 Hours

·      Dalziel back in action with rapid Venezuelan pair, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow in Audi R8 LMS

·      United Autosports aiming for top finish in Abu Dhabi

Ryan Dalziel, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow raced the

#36 United Autosports Audi R8 LMS in Dubai last week and will be out in Abu Dhabi later this week

With scarcely time to rest in between races, the United Autosports team left Dubai and travelled to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the Gulf 12 Hours, which starts on Thursday, January 19, with one of its Audi R8 LMS GT3 cars for Scotland’s Ryan Dalziel and Venezuelan pair, Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow.

The Leeds-based team will be joined in Abu Dhabi by other race teams from around the world, the event featuring GT2, GT3 and GT4 cars, vehicles from one make series such as the Porsche Cup, FIA CN sports cars and touring cars.

The very first Gulf 12 Hours event – which takes the form of two six-hour races - will begin in daylight and end under the sparkling floodlights, creating the mystical atmosphere which has been made famous by the Formula 1 Grand Prix races in recent years. During the break between races, the teams will have just 40 minutes to work on the cars.

Having set some of the fastest laps during the Dubai 24 Hour race last weekend, Grand Am racer and winner of the prestigious 2010 Rolex 24 Daytona, US-based Dalziel is expected to produce a strong performance for the two races on Friday.

Dalziel’s regular Starworks Motorsport team mates, Potolicchio and Popow, proved to be two of the major finds of the 2011 Grand Am series, and were awarded the SPEED.com Rolex Series "Rookies of the Year" award last year.

All three drove exceptionally well in Dubai, setting fastest times while having their first experience with the rapid Audi R8 LMS, and they have their sights set on a top result at the evocative Yas Marina Circuit. The #36 Audi is sponsored by Duncan Batteries, Taxand and Soloson in Abu Dhabi.

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:
“We have arrived in Abu Dhabi and it is the most amazing facility! It is also amazing that as such a young team, United Autosports is competing at an event like this and on back-to-back weekends with the Dubai 24 hours. We have work to do but we are very confident and ready for the challenge.”

Thursday 19th January                    
09:00 – 09:50              Practice Session 1 (50m)
10:40 – 11:30              Practice Session 2 (50m)
12:00 - 12:25               Qualifying Driver 1 Group A (25m)
12:40 – 13:05              Qualifying Driver 1 Group B (25m)
13:05 – 14:00             Lunch Break
14:00 – 14:25              Qualifying Driver 2 Group A (25m)
14:40 – 15:05              Qualifying Driver 2 Group B (25m)
15:20 – 15:45              Qualifying Driver 3 Group A (25m)
16:00   - 16:25             Qualifying Driver 3 Group B (25m)
16:40 – 17:05              Qualifying Driver 4 Group A (25m)
17:20 – 17:45              Qualifying Driver 4 Group B (25m)
17:45 – 19:00                         Break
19:00 – 19:30              Night Practice Session 1 (30m)
19:45 – 20:00              Night Practice Session 2 (30m)
         
Friday 20th January                         
09:30                                       Race Start (Formation Lap)
15:30                                       Race 1 End
17:00                                       Race 2 Start (Formation Lap)
23:00                                       Race End
(NB: all times local; UK times -4 hours)