Racer Article July 31 2010

United Autosports was featured in an article by Racer, July 31, 2010.

SpeedTV Article July 29 2010

SPA24: The Rise And Return Of Zak Brown - article by SpeedTV.com

Let Battle Commence As United Autosports Sets Out On Maiden 24 Hour Race

·       Dean and Johansson record team’s fastest times in darkness

·       Sole American team prepared for 24 Hour race début in famous European race

The American owned United Autosports team starts its maiden twice-around-the-clock endurance race on Saturday (July 31) from 10^th and 13^th positions in the GT3 category for the Spa 24 Hours (Belgium).

Richard Dean (GB) set a personal quickest time of 2m 25.745s in the #68 Audi R8 LMS around the magnificent 4.35-mile Belgian venue with Stefan Johansson (Sw) at the wheel the “sister” #67 Audi posting a 2m 27.220s. The United Autosports Audi GT3 sports cars start the prestigious annual race from the eighth and 11^th rows of the 40-car grid.

Both “times” were set in total darkness on soft compound “slick” dry weather tires in the dying moments of the final 45mins session which finished 10mins before midnight. Spa and rain have always been traditionally and intrinsically linked and the weather Gods did not disappoint throughout the day which began at 0900hr.

The opening practice session for the 2010 Total 24 Hours of Spa took place in torrential rain which eased off midway through although the track remained wet. The afternoon pre-qualifying trial saw less than one third of the 90mins practice run using “slicks”.

The 63^rd running of the 24 Hours of Spa on Saturday at 1600hr after a 20mins warm-up (0910-0930). 

Racefans can follow the progress of United Autosports throughout the race:

Twitter: @unitedautosport or Facebook: unitedautosports

* Times quoted are “local” Central European Time.

#67 Cerutti / FXDD / Roger Dubuis Watches / Road & Track / Legends of Motorsports / LG Electronics – Audi R8 LMS

Emil Assentato (USA).Age: 61. Born: New York City, N.Y., USA. Lives: Locust Valley, N.Y., USA:
Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: None. Other 24Hr races: Daytona (2000 26th, 2001 34th o/a/9th, 2002 28th/10th, 2004 37th/16th, 2005 11th/2nd. 2006 21st/10th. 2007 19th/7th, 2008 13th/5th, 2009 17th/9th, 2010 28th/16th).
 

“This is my first visit to Spa [apart from the test earlier this month] and there is no doubt that it’s a difficult place to learn – particularly at night. It’s certainly a massive challenge for me to drive a new car at a new venue and in constantly changing weather conditions – it’s been something of a baptism of fire. The team is great, it’s an awesome car and I can’t wait for the green flag on Saturday.”

Stefan Johansson (Sw).

Age: 53. Born: Växjö, Sweden. Lives: Los Angeles, California, USA:

Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Début August 9 1981 (F2/14^th). F1 (1983, 85-91 – 1986/3^rd, 1987/2^nd), F2 (1981-2 – pole-position 1982/F2), GpC (1982-4), 1,000km sports cars (1988/1^st). Last race at Spa: August 19 2007 (LMS/Ret). Other 24Hr races: Le Mans (1983/6^th, 1984, 1990, 1991/6^th, 1992/5^th, 1997/1^st, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003/3^rd, 2006, 2007, 2008). Daytona (2000 23^rd, 2002 36^th/13^th, 2005/4^th, 2006/22^nd).

“We steadily improved the Audi throughout the day and the times have come down. We’ll take on some set-up changes from the #68 Audi which that car benefitted from at the end and I’m sure we’ll have a pretty good race car. Incredibly after three qualifying sessions taking us up to almost midnight I had traffic on every lap. But for 24 hour race grid positions are pretty academic. It’s just fantastic to be back at Spa and driving a 24 hour race again.”

Alain Li (F).

Age: 50. Born: Caen, France. Lives: Hong Kong:

Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Début 1998, Ferrari Challenge Series (1994-8). Last race at Spa: 1998. Other 24Hr races: None.

“It’s been a very changeable day in terms of the weather, which is exactly what you expect here, but it’s meant each time I’ve gone out on track the conditions have been completely different. I’m confident that I’ll improve on my lap times during the race with every lap but it’s just great fun for simply being here at Spa. Apart from the test day this is only my second time in the Audi and there is plenty to learn about this car. There’s definitely a lot for me to take in.”

Mark Patterson (USA).
Age:58. Born: Port Elizabeth, S Africa. Lives: Bronxville, N.Y., USA:
Spa 24Hr: 2009 17th o/a (Ferrari 430 GT3). Spa History: Début 2001. Lamborghini Super Trophy (2001). Last race at Spa 2009 (24hrs). Other 24Hr races: Daytona (2004 38th/13th, 2005 23rd/14th, 2006/2nd, 2007/9th, 2008/6th, 2009/41st, 2010/7th)

“I think we’re in pretty good shape for the race having survived all conditions Mother Nature has thrown at us during the course of 15 hours of on-track action today. We’ve steadily worked through the day to improve the Audi. This weekend marks my second Spa 24 Hours and I just can’t wait for the race to start. This place is what dreams are made of.”

#68 Remington / Singapore Exchange / Road & Track / Legends of Motorsports / LG Electronics – Audi R8 LMS

Mark Blundell (GB). 
Age: 44. Born: Barnet, England. Lives: Royston, England:
Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Début May 16 1987 (F3000/2nd). F3000 (1987-89 – 1987/2nd), F1 (1991-95 – 91 scored first-ever F1 point, 94/5th, 95/5th), sportscars (1989/3rd). Last race at Spa: August 27 1995 F1/5th. Other 24Hr races: Le Mans (1989, 1990, 1992/1st, 1995/4th, 2001, 2002, 2003/2nd).

“It’s been a typical day at Spa in terms of the varying weather conditions and a good warm-up for a 24 hour race in respect of ever-changing track conditions with gravel and oil on the surface. I had my first run in the opening morning session and my last stint behind the wheel gone 11pm so it’s been a long day. We’ve continued to hone the R8 LMS in preparation for the race so we’re looking in pretty good shape for the race.”

Zak Brown (USA). 

Age: 38. Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:

Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Opel Lotus Formula (1993/3^rd). Other 24Hr races: BritCar (GB), Daytona (1997/8^th, 1999, 2000, 2010/33^rd o/a/20^th) .

“I got out on track for the first time in Q1 so haven’t had many laps today but that’s okay, it’s an endurance race afterall! I was pleased with my times in Q2. I’m thoroughly enjoying the event with our incredible driver line-up. To have Eddie, Mark and Stefan onboard for United Autosports’ maiden 24 hour race is indeed a privilege. The Audi has slightly more horsepower since our last FIA GT3 races which is very good news while our engineering guys are doing a great job. The aim is for a reliable run to a GT3 podium finish come Sunday afternoon.”

Eddie Cheever (USA). 

Age: 52. Born: Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Lives: Indianapolis, USA:
Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Spa début May 22 1983 F1/3rd, F1 (1983, 85-89 – 1983/3rd, 1987/4th, 1988/6th), GpC (1986/5th, 1987/4th. Last race at Spa: 1989/Ret (F1). Other 24Hr races: Le Mans (1980/19th, 1981/8th, 1986/24th, 1987/5th. Daytona (2
006/17th, 2007/32nd)
 

“This is my third day in the Audi R8 LMS after tests at Snetterton [GB] and here last month and I’m getting more and more comfortable with it. Conditions have been strange in that it’s been wet, dry, damp then daytime, then nighttime. But every time I drive, the times are a little quicker. The balance is better than at the test day and that’s exactly what you need for such a physically demanding track like Spa which is a dream to come back to after all of these years. Team co-owners Zak [Brown] and Richard [Dean] have a superb outfit here, they should be complimented on what they have achieved in a short space of time.”

Richard Dean (GB). 

Age: 45. Born & Lives: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England:
Spa 24Hr: Début. Spa History: Début August 29 1992/Ret (F3000). F3000 (1992), FIA GT (1997/24th/12th), British GT (1998/6th/2nd 1999/2nd). Last race at Spa: September 26 1999 (British GT). Other 24Hr races: WillHire (GB), BritCar (GB), Nürburgring, Le Mans (2006/15th/1st, 2007/23rd/5th, 2009), Mondello Park (IRL), Daytona (2010/33rd/20th), Dubai
 

“Both Stefan and I managed to improve our grid positions right at the end of the final qualifying session. I thought we were going to be thwarted in achieving a representative time having encountered a Red Flag, rain or oil on the track all at the wrong time for us in the previous sessions. There was still a lot more time to come as incredibly, at the stage in the session, traffic was a major problem. But the most pleasing aspect is that we made changes prior to my final run which improved the Audi massively. We will now have a more consistent and easier car to drive for the race which is very good news.”

Audi R8 LMS (Sportscar according to Spa 24 Hour race regulations)
V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, emission control by two racing catalytic converters, rear-wheel-drive, traction control (ASR), sequential pneumatic activated 6-speed sport gearbox with shift-paddles, Audi Space Frame (ASF) made of aluminum with bolted steel roll-cage, carbon-fiber composite/aluminum bodywork, Michelin radial tires. Start weight 1,335kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won FIA GT3 European Championship, ADAC-GT Masters and Belgian GT Championship plus Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours class victories in début 2009 season scoring a total 23 victories.

IBJ Article July 21 2010

LEADING QUESTIONS: Racing promotions require big drive - article by IBJ.com

Qualifying 2 - 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Results: 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Qualifying 2
Pos	Car	Class	Drivers	Car	Time	Laps	Gap	Avg speed
1	61	GT3	Holzer	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:08.225	5	0	246
2	24	GT3	von Thurn und Taxis	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	2:08.225	7	0	244
3	16	GT3	Parisy	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:08.370	6	0.145	243
4	101	GT3	Hohenadel	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:08.373	5	0.148	241
5	76	GT3	Sandström	BMW Z4	2:08.406	7	0.181	245
6	18	GT3	Lunardi	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:08.594	7	0.369	243
7	11	GT3	Leclerc	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:08.696	5	0.471	245
8	2	GT3	Accary	Aston Martin DBRS9	2:08.733	5	0.508	243
9	5	GT3	Guilbert	Audi R8 LMS	2:09.016	6	0.791	240
10	14	GT3	Nygaard	Ford GT	2:09.081	6	0.856	239
11	77	GT3	Hürtgen	BMW Z4	2:09.342	5	1.117	243
12	60	GT3	Palttala	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:09.445	4	1.22	246
13	4	GT3	Ammermüller	Audi R8 LMS	2:09.490	6	1.265	240
14	87	GT3	Alessi	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	2:09.595	6	1.37	249
15	25	GT3	Lagrange	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	2:09.701	2	1.476	241
16	33	GT3	Jöns	Audi R8 LMS	2:09.814	6	1.589	238
17	17	GT3	Tonelli	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:09.944	5	1.719	244
18	88	GT3	Hollings	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	2:10.372	5	2.147	251
19	32	GT3	Griffin	Audi R8 LMS	2:10.624	6	2.399	236
20	3	GT3	Hemdlhofer	Audi R8 LMS	2:11.286	8	3.061	240
21	12	GT3	Konstantinou	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:11.343	6	3.118	244
22	23	GT3	Brown	Audi R8 LMS	2:11.737	7	3.512	238
23	100	GT3	Ritskes	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:12.218	7	3.993	244
24	22	GT3	Guasch	Audi R8 LMS	2:12.372	6	4.147	236

Session Notes
Weather	sunny
Track conditions	dry

United Autosports Prepare for Maiden Round the Clock Encounter

·       American team attends Spa 24 Hour race test day at famous Belgian circuit

·       New high-profile sponsors for prestigious European round-the-clock encounter  

(Left to right) Emil Assentato, Stefan Johansson, Alain Li, Zak Brown, Richard Dean, Mark Blundell and Eddie Cheever

The United Autosports team trucks now return to its base in Leeds, England, after a hectic four-week, 5,000-mile excursion which culminated in a one-day “official” test at Spa-Francorchamps today (Wednesday July 7) at the legendary Belgian venue in readiness for the annual 24 Hour race.

The American owned team enters two Audi R8 LMS sports cars in the twice-around-the-clock encounter. The #67 Audi was piloted by Emil Assentato (USA), Stefan Johansson (Sw) and Alain Li (F) today – Mark Patterson (USA) completes the quartet but was unable to attend the eight-hour test today due to prior business commitments.

Mark Blundell (GB), Zak Brown (USA), Eddie Cheever (USA) and Richard Dean (GB) were aboard the “sister” #68 R8 LMS. Both cars completed a combined near total of 200-laps around the magnificent 4.352-mile, 21-corner track considered to be one of the most challenging race circuits in the world due to its fast, undulating and twisting nature, recording the sixth and eighth fastest times in the GT3 class combining the morning and afternoon sessions.

Season-long United Autosports’ sponsors Remington, Cerruti and LG Electronics are joined by Roger Dubuis Watches, FXDD, Road & Track, Legends of Motorsports and the Singapore Stock Exchange for the famous Belgian race staged over July 31-August 1 which will mark the team’s maiden 24 hour event.

The United Autosports team has been on the road since June 11 with tests at Albacete (Spain) and Nogaro (France) plus FIA GT3 European Championship races at Jarama (Spain) and Paul Ricard (France) before arriving at Spa.

United Autosports’ Co-Owners Brown and Dean fly to North America tonight for the Legends of Motorsports historic races at Mont-Tremblant, Quebec (Canada) this weekend (July 10-11). The American will race his 1979 ex-John Watson/Patrick Tambay Formula One McLaren M28 Cosworth while Dean is re-united with his Oulton Park (GB) 1990 Gold Cup race winning Reynard 90D Cosworth.

Legends of Motorsports is a race series owned by Historic Motorsports Productions whose principal owners are Brown, Bobby Rahal and Peter Stoneberg. Canada’s motor racing hero Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula One Champion and 1995 Indy Car World Series Champion, will serve as Grand Marshal at the event.

#67 Cerutti / FXDD / Robert Dubuis Watches / Road & Track / Legends of Motorsports / LG Electronics – Audi R8 LMS (running as #112 today)

Emil Assentato (USA). Age: 61. Born: New York City, N.Y., USA. Lives: Locust Valley, N.Y., USA:

“The car is totally new to me – today was the first time I’d ever sat behind the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS. With more miles the confidence will come. The track is what you believe a Grand Prix track should be and is exactly what I had dreamt it would be like – it’s challenging and dramatic with huge elevation changes. I’d love to conquer it but not sure I ever will. I flew in to Belgium having finished fourth in the latest Grand-Am GT race at Daytona (July 3) which retains Jeff Segal and I the GT championship lead.”

Stefan Johansson (Sw). Age: 53. Born: Växjö, Sweden. Lives: Los Angeles, California, USA:

“I’d driven the R8 LMS for the first time at Snetterton [GB] last month. There were a few niggles today but that is what testing is all about, finding these problems before the race and resolving them. I’m certain we’ll be on the pace when we return here at the end of the month.”

Alain Li (F). Age: 50. Born: Caen, France. Lives: Hong Kong:

“Today was my first drive in the Audi while it’s my first time back at Spa for around 12 years or so. The weather was superb today and the track was in good condition – just fantastic to be back. I’m learning about the Audi with every lap. I found it comfortable and nice to drive. I just need to find the car’s limits which will come with more mileage.”

Mark Patterson (USA). Age:58. Born: Port Elizabeth, S Africa. Lives: Bronxville, N.Y., USA: 

·       Not present at today’s test.

#68 Remington / Singapore Stock Exchange / Road & Track / Legends of Motorsports / LG Electronics – Audi R8 LMS (running as #111 today)

Mark Blundell (GB). Age: 44. Born: Barnet, England. Lives: Royston, England:

“I had a brief outing in the Audi at Silverstone [GB] in May and Snetterton last month but it’s great to get out at Spa again. We experienced an imbalance in the car this afternoon but made changes which found us speed and consistency. Eddie and I then finished off the test with a tire program. It’s been a very productive test.”

Zak Brown (USA). Age: 38. Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:

“There were a lot of fans lined up outside our garage to get a glimpse of Eddie, Mark and Stefan – it was a fantastic sight. It’s a huge privilege for me to have them in the United Autosports team. I raced here in the early 1990s so today was valuable to become re-acclimatized to this hugely daunting Spa track. We can now go away and study the data which can be put to good effect come the race week.”

Eddie Cheever (USA). Age: 52. Born: Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Lives: Indianapolis, USA:

“This was my first proper run in the Audi having had a brief acclimatization at Snetterton in wet conditions last month. We had some handling issues this afternoon which we worked on. But it was good to get in some mileage before the race. I’m looking forward to racing again at Spa and to be back behind the wheel for a 24 Hour race.”

Richard Dean (GB). Age: 45. Born & Lives: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England:

“I raced the Audi R8 LMS in the team’s début races at Oulton Park (GB) in April and did 20 laps at our  Nogaro test last week so I’ve had a couple of decent runs in the car prior to today. Having spent the day at Spa, we’ll now go back to the workshop with a big job list to tick off so as to make the car more comfortable and consistent in preparation for the race. It was amazing to see the reaction of the officials when Eddie, Mark and Stefan signed-on this morning – everyone just stared – they’re still regarded as heroes.”

Audi R8 LMS (Sportscar according to latest 2010 FIA GT3 regulations)

V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, emission control by two racing catalytic converters, rear-wheel-drive, traction control (ASR), sequential pneumatic activated 6-speed sport gearbox with shift-paddles, Audi Space Frame (ASF) made of aluminum with bolted steel roll-cage, carbon-fiber composite/aluminum bodywork, Michelin radial tires. Approx 500 hp (reduced power). Start weight 1,320kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won FIA GT3 European Championship, ADAC-GT Masters and Belgian GT Championship plus Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours class victories in début 2009 season scoring a total 23 victories.

* An Editorial Copyright Free photograph gallery from the Spa test can be accessed at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports

* Detailed biographies on each of the United Autosports drivers are available on request.

Qualifying 1 - 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Results: 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Qualifying 1
Pos	Car	Class	Drivers	Car	Time	Laps	Gap	Avg speed
1	101	GT3	Keilwitz	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:08.642	5	0	243
2	16	GT3	Lambotte	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:09.843	5	1.201	242
3	77	GT3	Walter	BMW Z4	2:11.004	4	1.399	242
4	11	GT3	Vannelet	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:10.068	3	1.426	244
5	61	GT3	van Splunteren	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:10.297	4	1.655	244
6	24	GT3	Amos	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	2:10.304	5	1.662	241
7	76	GT3	Söderlund	BMW Z4	2:10.502	5	1.86	242
8	23	GT3	Bell	Audi R8 LMS	2:10.741	6	2.099	238
9	100	GT3	van Oranje	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:11.298	7	2.656	242
10	14	GT3	Eskelinen	Ford GT	2:11.464	7	2.822	238
11	17	GT3	Demoustier	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:11.474	6	2.832	243
12	3	GT3	Heyer	Audi R8 LMS	2:11.492	6	2.85	238
13	60	GT3	Lappalainen	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:11.607	8	2.965	245
14	12	GT3	Häring	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:11.992	6	3.35	242
15	2	GT3	Paillard	Aston Martin DBRS9	2:12.001	5	3.359	243
16	18	GT3	Seiler	Corvette Z06R GT3	2:12.316	8	3.674	243
17	4	GT3	Bonifacio	Audi R8 LMS	2:12.515	6	3.873	238
18	33	GT3	Breslin	Audi R8 LMS	2:13.093	5	4.451	238
19	22	GT3	Patterson	Audi R8 LMS	2:13.267	8	4.625	236
20	88	GT3	Charveriat	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	8:51.975	2	4.925	249
21	10	GT3	Stepec	BMW Alpina B6 GT3	2:15.619	8	6.977	246
22	5	GT3	Hirschi	Audi R8 LMS	2:15.838	6	7.196	238
23	32	GT3	Breslin	Audi R8 LMS	2:17.597	8	8.955	234
24	6	GT3	Demay	Audi R8 LMS	2:17.847	7	9.205	236

Session Notes
Weather	sunny
Track conditions	dry

Next Stop Belgium On United Autosports' Hectic 5,000-mile European Tour

·       After races in Spain and France, “star-studded” driver line-up to test at Spa

·       Independence Day Celebrations On Hold for American team at Paul Ricard

The United Autosports team heads directly to Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) for an “official” 24 Hour race Test Day on Wednesday (July 7) after contesting the latest FIA GT3 European Championship races in France this weekend (July 3-4). 

Having posted 13^th and 17^th places in the opening one-hour race at Paul Ricard on Saturday, there was to be no Independence Day celebration for the American team the following day when the #22 Audi salvaged a hard-earned 18^th after the #23 Audi was the innocent victim of an opening lap accident causing its retirement.

The 3.63-mile Paul Ricard (High Tech Test Track) circuit at Le Castellet, near Marseille, was opened in 1969. The 14-turn track is characterized by its long Mistral straight (1.12-mile) and elongated track design. The track, built on a plateau, is known for its distinctive blue, black and red colored run-off areas.

At Spa, the #67 Audi will be piloted by Emil Assentato (USA), Stefan Johansson (Sw) and Alain Li (F) – Mark Patterson unable to attend due to prior business commitments – with Mark Blundell (GB), Zak Brown (USA), Eddie Cheever (USA) and Richard Dean (GB) aboard the “sister” #68 R8 LMS.

There is now an 11-week break in the FIA GT3 European Championship before the ninth and 10^th rounds are staged at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal) over September 18-19.

Race 1 (Saturday)

Qualifying: 8^th #23 Bell, 2m 10.741s; 19^th #22 Guasch, 2m 13.267s. Weather: Sunny, hot.

Race Result: 13^th (#23) +78.111s P1; 17^th (#22) -1 lap P1. Weather: Sunny, very hot.

Having been the fastest Audi R8 LMS for the first time this season in Friday’s second practice, Bell continued United Autosports’ ever-improving trend by netting the American team’s best start position of the season, an eventual eighth place on the 25-car grid despite dropping two places in the final minute of qualifying – to be the best placed Audi again – and having only gained 14-laps knowledge of the high-speed Ricard track the previous day.

Bell and Guasch completed the opening lap in eighth and 17^th positions respectively prior to a 15-minute Safety Car period beginning on lap two to retrieve crashed and abandoned cars. Having taken three separate hits following the re-start, Guasch pitted from 14^th place with 32mins to run, Patterson resuming 18^th.

Bell, up from eighth to second and just 3.539s behind the leader, handed over to Brown 35mins in to the one-hour race at the end of the permitted timed pit-stop phase, the American back on the track in 10^th place in the 25-lap race.

Zak slipped to 13^th with 15mins remaining, a position in which he took the checker to record the #23 Audi’s best result of the season – with Patterson gaining two places in the closing minutes to finish 17^th – the first time the #22 Audi had finished behind its “sister” R8 LMS since the opening race at Silverstone.

Race 2 (Sunday)

Qualifying: 20^th #23 Brown, 2m 11.737s; 22^nd #22 Patterson, 2m 12.372s. Weather: Sunny, hot.

Race Result: 18^th (#22) +89.500s P1; Retired, accident damage (#23). Weather: Sunny, very hot.

The race for the #23 Audi was over almost before it had started when on the opening lap Brown, completely blinded by the mass of cars ahead, collided at Turn Five with an Aston Martin which had been spun around but was then hit again launching it in to the path of the of the innocent Brown causing front suspension and steering damage, the Audi limping back to the pits and retirement.

Following an eight-minute Safety Car period which ensued to clear up the debris, Patterson resumed 19^th at the green light but lost two places as the race settled down before handing over to Guasch placed 20^th with 29mins on the clock, Michael complimenting his co-driver’s steady run in which he set competitive times en route to 18^th place at the finish.

#22 Molecule / Cerutti – Audi R8 LMS

Michael Guasch (USA).  Lives: Walnut Creek, California, USA:

“In Race One I started from 24^th place on the grid but picked up seven places on the first lap. Much of my stint was behind a Safety Car which became a melee when it went green. I was up to 15^th but got spun around when I dived down the inside of a guy who turned in having not seen me. Mark handed the over to me in Race Two having kept out of trouble which was a big deal in itself. I drove the best I could – it was awfully hot [ambient temperature 37°C]. The Audi handled well allowing me to set consistent good times.”  

Mark Patterson (USA).  Lives: Bronxville, New York State, USA: 

“The opening race was a long and lonely stint for me – and extremely hot work. I was a little frustrated with myself as I felt I hadn’t used the car to its maximum. The tires were rebalanced overnight after Michael had taken a couple of hits in Race One making the Audi handle better in the second race. I lost time with the ugly accident on the opening lap which I somehow managed to avoid being a part of. Pretty happy all things considered.”

#23 Remington – Audi R8 LMS

Zak Brown (USA).  Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:

“We achieved the #23 Audi’s best result of the season in the opening race with 13^th which was the hottest, in terms of ambient temperature [over 30°C], I’ve ever raced in. Matt’s stint was compromised with the Safety Car and I was immediately defending when I took over from him. Race two was short lived – I’d made a good start, gained a couple of places, but an Aston spun, was stationary facing me, I went to go left but then it was hit by another car which moved the Aston into my path, damaging the Audi’s steering and suspension on the right side.”  

Matthew Bell (GB). Lives: Barningham nr Richmond, North Yorkshire, England:

“A Lamborghini held me up at the start of Race One which cost me some places which I managed to get back further around the opening lap. The Safety Car hampered our strategy. Our pace in the corners is good but we’re slow on the straight compared to the competition which doesn’t seem particularly balanced here. Unfortunately for the second consecutive race weekend, I didn’t get to drive in Race Two which is frustrating especially as I won’t get to race the Audi again until mid-September.”

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

“The Safety Car in Race One didn’t allow Matt to open up the gap we’d hoped he could achieve so when Zak went out, he was in the thick of action with the very fast Lamborghinis and Corvettes on his tail – a thankless task on a track like Ricard. The #23 Audi achieved our team’s best qualifying result of the season and went on to record that car’s best race result of the year and because we’re disappointed, that shows how much we’re expecting of ourselves now. Both Mark and Michael did workmanlike jobs in the #22 Audi to continue its 100% top-20 finishing record.

In Race Two, Zak made a good start but got caught up in the mayhem that unfolded in front of him so that was it for the #23 Audi. Mark was delayed in the same incident which he managed to pick his way through and both he and Michael, who was setting times comparable with the guys in P7-12, made up places and did good jobs once again.”

Audi R8 LMS (Sportscar according to latest 2010 FIA GT3 regulations)

V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, emission control by two racing catalytic converters, rear-wheel-drive, traction control (ASR), sequential pneumatic activated 6-speed sport gearbox with shift-paddles, Audi Space Frame (ASF) made of aluminum with bolted steel roll-cage, carbon-fiber composite/aluminum bodywork, Michelin radial tires. Approx 500 hp (reduced power). Start weight 1,320kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won FIA GT3 European Championship, ADAC-GT Masters and Belgian GT Championship plus Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours class victories in début 2009 season scoring a total 23 victories.

* More United Autosports Editorial Copyright Free photographs are available at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports

Race 2 Result - 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Results: 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Race 2 Result
Pos	Car	Class	Drivers	Car	Time	Laps	Gap	Avg speed
1	101	GT3	Keilwitz/Hohenadel	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:00:16.352	25	0	243
2	16	GT3	Lambotte/Parisy	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:00:17.772	25	1.42	242
3	61	GT3	van Splunteren/Holzer	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:00:18.235	25	1.883	242
4	77	GT3	Walter/Hürtgen	BMW Z4	1:00:40.236	25	23.884	246
5	25	GT3	Cunill/Lagrange	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	1:00:40.389	25	24.037	244
6	18	GT3	Seiler/Lunardi	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:00:46.143	25	29.791	243
7	11	GT3	Vannelet/Leclerc	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:01:00.532	25	44.18	245
8	60	GT3	Lappalainen/Palttala	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:01:07.272	25	50.92	243
9	33	GT3	Breslin/Jöns	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:11.280	25	54.928	238
10	100	GT3	van Oranje/Ritskes	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:01:11.294	25	54.942	243
11	14	GT3	Eskelinen/Nygaard	Ford GT	1:01:17.243	25	1:00.891	240
12	5	GT3	Hirschi/Guilbert	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:23.493	25	1:07.141	238
13	24	GT3	Amos/von Thurn und Taxis	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	1:01:23.668	25	1:07.316	242
14	87	GT3	Petrobelli/Alessi	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	1:01:24.389	25	1:08.037	249
15	4	GT3	Bonifacio/Ammermüller	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:25.844	25	1:09.492	238
16	88	GT3	Charveriat/Hollings	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	1:01:30.842	25	1:14.490	249
17	17	GT3	Tonelli/Demoustier	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:01:34.096	25	1:17.744	244
18	22	GT3	Guasch/Patterson	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:45.852	25	1:29.500	233
19	3	GT3	Heyer/Herndlhofer	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:07.144	25	1:50.792	238
20	6	GT3	Demay/Lorgere-Roux	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:08.484	25	1:52.132	239
21	32	GT3	Breslin/Griffin	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:04.997	24	48.645	234
22	76	GT3	Söderlund/Sandström	BMW Z4	44:52.414	18	15:23.938	246
23	23	GT3	Bell/Brown	Audi R8 LMS	3:28.814	1	56:47.538	0

Session Notes
Weather	sunny, hot
Track conditions	dry

Race 1 Result - 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Results: 2010 Round 4 - Paul Ricard HTTT

Race 1 Result
Pos	Car	Class	Drivers	Car	Time	Laps	Gap	Avg speed
1	101	GT3	Keilwitz/Hohenadel	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:01:12.220	25	0	242
2	16	GT3	Lambotte/Parisy	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:01:18.872	25	6.652	242
3	11	GT3	Vannelet/Leclerc	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:01:31.312	25	19.092	243
4	76	GT3	Söderlund/Sandström	BMW Z4	1:01:31.831	25	19.611	247
5	77	GT3	Walter/Hürtgen	BMW Z4	1:01:32.376	25	20.156	247
6	61	GT3	van Splunteren/Holzer	Porsche 911 GT3 R	1:01:34.776	25	22.556	246
7	14	GT3	Eskelinen/Nygaard	Ford GT	1:01:44.951	25	32.731	239
8	18	GT3	Seiler/Lunardi	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:01:59.577	25	47.357	243
9	25	GT3	Cunill/Lagrange	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	1:02:04.107	25	51.887	244
10	4	GT3	Bonifacio/Ammermüller	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:06.632	25	54.412	241
11	33	GT3	Breslin/Jöns	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:10.824	25	58.604	238
12	100	GT3	van Oranje/Ritskes	Corvette Z06R GT3	1:02:14.268	25	1:02.048	243
13	23	GT3	Bell/Brown	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:30.331	25	1:18.111	238
14	10	GT3	Stepec/Policand	BMW Alpina B6 GT3	1:02:37.867	25	1:25.647	244
15	5	GT3	Hirschi/Guilbert	Audi R8 LMS	1:02:56.352	25	1:44.132	238
16	6	GT3	Demay/Lorgere-Roux	Audi R8 LMS	1:03:04.170	25	1:51.950	237
17	22	GT3	Guasch/Patterson	Audi R8 LMS	1:01:15.766	24	3.546	234
18	17	GT3	Tonelli/Demoustier	Corvette Z06R GT3	56:44.970	22	4:27.250	244
19	2	GT3	Paillard/Accary	Aston Martin DBRS9	53:40.338	21	7:31.882	242
20	24	GT3	Amos/von Thurn und Taxis	Lamborghini Gallardo LP560	27:41.329	10	33:30.891	240
21	32	GT3	Breslin/Griffin	Audi R8 LMS	25:47.665	9	35:24.555	232
22	87	GT3	Petrobelli/Alessi	Ferrari 430 Scuderia	12:34.919	4	48:37.301	246
23	60	GT3	Lappalainen/Palttala	Porsche 911 GT3 R	2:44.599	1	58:27.621	0

Session Notes
Weather	sunny, hot
Track conditions	dry