Three-Car, Two-Day Test Successfully Completed At Navarra This Week

United Autosports successfully completed its first test of 2011 earlier this week (February 15-16) which saw its new FIA GT3 European Championship recruit Joe Osborne (GB) make his team début and complete his first laps in an Audi R8 LMS.

Osborne was joined by his co-driver Mark Patterson (USA) while Matt Bell (GB) also drove at the new Navarra (Spain) facility near Pamplona which hosts rounds five and six of the FIA series in July. Matt’s older brother, Rob, was also in attendance as team “driver coach” and had a short run in the Audi.

The team ran all three of its Audi R8 LMS during the “exclusive” two-day test, accumulating over 1,000-miles. British GT Championship newcomers Jay Palmer (GB) and John Bintcliffe are scheduled to complete their first laps in the GT3 category Audi on Silverstone’s “National” circuit on March 4.

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

“The track was wet each morning but we were able to run slicks before lunchtime each day. Matt, Mark and Joe each set good, competitive times while Rob [Bell] did 10-laps at the end of the first day in his role as an official Dunlop ‘test’ driver. In general, a good test which unfortunately Zak [Brown] couldn’t attend due to a prior business commitment but importantly it allowed Joe to get some decent mileage in his first run at the wheel of an Audi.”



Audi R8 LMS

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.