United Autosports' Season Continues in Non-Stop Winter Wonderland

• No winter break for young team going places
• Audi R8 GT3 for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bathurst GT endurance events
• United Autosports breaks new ground in classic events
• Outstanding opportunity for strong driver line-up

United Autosports is the team to be with in 2012 as it launches an ambitious campaign of thrilling races straight into the New Year, with three classic GT endurance events in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bathurst.


The young team – entering only its third season in 2012 – continues its drive to the top with the Dunlop Dubai 24 Hours on 12-14 January 2012. A week later the crew moves onto the mystical Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the Gulf 12 Hours event which, similarly to the Formula 1 race, will end at night under the sparkling lights and magical atmosphere. 


Completing the trio of winter wonderland races, United Autosports makes its début at the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour on 24-26 February. Famous for its exhilarating Touring Car races, the GT event will challenge competitors to the limit around the spectacular 6.213 km long roller-coaster Mount Panorama circuit.


United Autosports will bring a top driver line-up to each of the three races to compete in the team’s Audi R8 GT3 in the SP2 GT3-A class. The Audi is a proven 24-hour race winner, having won this year’s Spa 24 Hour race and also the Blancpain Endurance Series, making it the obvious choice of car to use in the team’s winter program.


In previous endurance events the team has attracted a number of high-profile ex-Formula 1 drivers into the Audi, including Mark Blundell, Martin Brundle, Eddie Cheever, Johnny Herbert and Stefan Johansson, as well as double Indianapolis 500 winner, Arie Luyendyk.


The Anglo-American United Autosports pairing of Zak Brown, American CEO of JMI, the largest global motorsports marketing agency, and experienced British driver and racing team owner, Richard Dean, have combined their knowledge, racing experience, drive and determination into a team aiming for global domination.

Above: United Autosports at the Total 24 Hours of Spa earlier this year

Zak Brown (USA) Co-Owner and CEO of United Autosports:


“We couldn’t find a better way of moving into our third year as a racing team than by competing in such classics as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bathurst; three exciting endurance events which are considered a ‘must do’ for any aspiring racer. It’s also a fitting way to continue our relationship with Audi into 2012.”  


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


“United Autosports is a 52-week a year business and the goal is to have the top GT racing team in the world. In only two years United Autosports has built a reputation in which top drivers want to race with us, and now we’re offering them the opportunity to compete with our highly-motivated team, which is competing worldwide. We want to have a dominant presence at every circuit we go to and these three exciting classic events are next on our calendar.”

Above: The Dubai race will include night racing as encountered during the Total 24 Hours of Spa earlier this year

United Autosports Closes Audi & FIA Championship "Chapters" In Europe

• Anglo-American team brings curtain down on FIA GT3 European Championship campaign to focus on Blancpain Endurance Series next season
• Final race for United's Audi in Europe after two year program before 2012 switch to McLaren
• Only Macau remains in hectic 24 Hr-race 2011 season with R8 LMS

United Autosports closed two chapters in its short, 20-month existence when the checker unfurled in the final FIA GT3 European Championship race of the season at Circuit Park Zandvoort (NED) today (October 16).

But there was to be no fairytale ending despite a lot of effort by the Anglo-American team that registered three hard-earned top-20 placings with their brace of Audi R8 LMS sports cars.

The one-hour races staged on the historic 2.68-mile Zandvoort coastal track located 15miles from Amsterdam marked the final appearance of a United Audi in Europe and the team's last FIA races – United switching to the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 and the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2012.

United Autosports contests its 41st race since its race début in April last year at Macau next month with the R8 LMS (2010: 12 FIA GT3, 2 BGT, Spa 24 Hours, Zhuhai ILMC, Macau. 2011: 12 FIA GT3, 10 BGT, Spa 24 Hours).

Hong Kong-based Richard Meins (GB) will be making his fourth appearance behind the wheel of a United R8 LMS when he lines-up in the GT race at Macau.

Race 1 (Saturday, duration 60mins)
Qualifying: 17th #22 Patterson, 1m 42.136s; 20th #23 Brown, 1m 43.188s. Weather: Dry, sunny, cold.

Race Result: 19th (#22) +72.152s P1; 20th (#23) +72.958s P1. Weather: Dry, sunny, cold.

Qualifying, staged under a clear blue sky but in very cold conditions early on Saturday morning, was brought to a premature end after a second red flag stoppage. Patterson was an early fourth fastest before pitting from P11 to check tire pressures prior to the first red flag. Meanwhile Brown opted to miss the opening 10mins and so had his session completely disrupted with the two stoppages and an early finish.

The sun still shone for Saturday afternoon's opening race but the temperature remained a cold 8°C, Patterson and Brown starting from the ninth and 10th rows respectively of the 28-car grid.

At one-quarter distance, Patterson and Brown placed 19th (the second highest Audi) and 22nd respectively, Zak handing over the #23 Audi to Bell after 27mins in 21st with Mark pitting the #22 R8 LMS for Osborne from 17th with 31mins remaining.

With 15mins to run, Osborne and Bell ran 18th and 20th covered by less than a second, the #22 and #23 Audis taking the checker in 19th and 20th – Joe less than 10secs behind the best-placed Audi in 16th.

Race 2 (Sunday, duration 60mins)
Qualifying: 23rd #23 Bell, 1m 40.622s; 26th #22 Osborne, 1m 40.886s. Weather: Dry, sunny, cold.

Race Result: 20th (#23) -1 lap P1; 21st (#22) -1 lap P1. Weather: Dry, sunny, cool.

Qualifying on Saturday began 40mins behind schedule following extensive repairs to the Armco barrier, while a double waved yellow at the final corner cost Osborne a top-20 start position with Bell thwarted with a handling imbalance.

Sunday dawned bright, sunny and cool (11°C) with Bell and Osborne starting the #23 and #22 cars from rows 12 & 13 and running 21st and 22nd in the early stages, the windshields on both Audis smeared with oil sprayed out by another car making visibility an issue.

At mid-distance Bell and Osborne were 18th and 19th moments prior to pitting to Brown and Patterson, the #23 and #22 Audis placed 17th and 21st after all compulsory pit-stops were completed.

Patterson challenging team-mate Brown for 19th with seven minutes remaining was tagged in to a spin by the #12 Mercedes, Zak being handicapped by severe oversteer throughout his stint.

#22 Draper Tools – Audi R8 LMS
Joe Osborne (GB). Age: 22. Born: Bedford, GB. Lives: Olney, Buckinghamshire, GB:
"The tires had little grip when I took over from Mark in Saturday's race but they hung in well until the finish. I wasn't in a battle with anyone so could go at my own pace. Sunday's race was difficult starting that far back but I grabbed a couple of places in the opening lap before oil smeared across the windshield which made things difficult. The Audi felt good on Sunday but that's the frustrating thing, why were we so slow compared to the opposition? The Balance of Performance has not been equal concerning the Audi for any of this year's races. The team has done the best it could all year but it's been a frustrating season."

Mark Patterson (USA). Age: 59. Born: Port Elizabeth, SA. Lives: Bronxville, New York State, USA:
"The expected chaos on the opening lap for Race One didn't materialize somewhat surprisingly and I gained places after a couple bumped each other. Everyone was well behaved and civil allowing me to get in to a good rhythm. It was an ‘okay' performance. I enjoyed the luxury of grip on Saturday but after Sunday's race, I now know why Joe was complaining. The second half of the race was tough with no rubber. Despite this, I caught Zak and was about to challenge when I was hit, very hard, into a spin by a Mercedes. Despite not enough points I've had a fantastic second FIA season."

#23 Legends of Motorsport – Audi R8 LMS
Matt Bell (GB). Age: 21. Born: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, GB. Lives: Barningham, North Yorks, GB:
"Early on in Saturday's race after taking over from Zak, my Audi had good pace and I quickly caught up an Aston which had Joe [Osborne] just ahead. The Aston had a straight line speed advantage and unfortunately I wasted the best of my tires trying to get past and was then helpless in fending off cars from behind in the latter stages. An Aston hit me up the back at the start of Race Two but managed to get past. It would seem that he had a mechanical problem as my windshield was then covered in oil. Struggled on due to the lack of visibility, the Audi after an overnight change, handled better before the grip level disappeared near the end of the stint. The season hasn't produced the results we wanted while the lack of testing after switching to Michelin rubber hurt us. Despite it being a tough year, it's been hugely enjoyable working with United Autosports who have been phenomenal throughout."

Zak Brown (USA). Age: 39. Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:
"Our strategy was to wait a while before going out for Race One qualifying and then we had a bad break with two red flag incidents. I never got a decent lap in then I made a terrible start – probably my worst of the entire FIA season. I touched a car in Turn 7 then out-braked myself into the chicane. From then until handing over the car to Matt it was uneventful and boring. Sunday took up from where Saturday left off and was not much fun. The car was a big handful from when I took over from Matt. We wanted to alter the tire pressures during the pit-stop but because we needed to clean the screen, we had to leave the tires. We weren't competitive all weekend but that applied to all of the Audi teams. In terms of the season, switching from Dunlop to Michelin tires mid-season was the correct decision but I've been disappointed with the BoP this year. Our rivals have highs and lows but their 'sweet spot' seems to be wider than ours."

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:
"The FIA series is hugely competitive and very hard fought. Matt and Joe are our ‘pro' drivers and they are only finishing off their second and third full seasons of racing respectively so their performances against some very experienced drivers are a massive credit. Zak has business commitments which restrict his testing opportunities but fights it out with the very best. Meanwhile Mark, who only took up racing a few years ago, has improved hugely – aggressive, focused and ultra-competitive. The Audi R8 LMS set a very high GT3 standard in 2009 but while the opposition have responded, the FIA arguably still regards the R8 LMS as the ‘standard bearer' in terms of its performance and the subsequent BoP restrictions have held us back over the past two years. Audi Sport and quattro GmbH have been magnificent to us – both on and off-event – and I'd like to thank them for the past two years – they could not have been kinder or treated us any better."

(ends)

United Autosports
Created in 2009, United Autosports is co-owned by American Zak Brown and Briton Richard Dean, both successful entrepreneurs and international race car drivers. The unique Anglo-American racing team fields GT3 class Audi R8 LMS sports cars from its United Kingdom headquarters in Leeds. It also races a fleet of "Legends of Motorsports" historic racing cars from its US facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2011, the team competes in full seasons of FIA GT3 European Championship, Avon Tyres British GT Championship and the "Legends of Motorsports" series. It will additionally contest selected GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series events, the 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium) and Macau GT Cup race (China).

Audi R8 LMS
V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, 365-412 kW (496-560 PS), 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. Minimum start weight 1,295kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won seven championships across Europe in 2009-2010 plus Spa 24 Hours class victory in début 2009 season and Nürburgring 24 Hours class victories in 2009-2010 and scoring a total 64 victories.

(ends)

Date of issue: Sunday October 16, 2011

• Bell, Brown, Osborne & Patterson biographies plus team & car profiles are available on the United Autosports website http://www.unitedautosports.com/
• A comprehensive library of Editorial Copyright Free photographs can be downloaded at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports/sets

For further Audi information, please contact:
Martyn Pass
Audi UK Sport Press
T +44 1564 824600
M +44 7801 859502
E audiuk-motorsport@earthlink.net
Skype martyn.pass
www.audi-press.co.uk

For further McLaren information and on-event at Macau, please contact:
Jay Ashton
M +44 7919 186291
E jay@unitedautosports.com
www.unitedautosports.com

United Autosports Leaves Its Mark On British GT Championship Despite Missing Out On Title At First Attempt In Dramatic Fashion

• Anglo-American team go down fighting on all fronts in Silverstone finale
• United start two cars from second row but Safety Car period ruins perfect strategy
• Third UA Audi of Brown & Osborne has likely win snatched when 35secs clear
• Brown shines at the front and defends robustly in one-off BGT return

Drama and action aplenty in the 10th and final round of the British GT Championship at Silverstone (GB) yesterday (October 8) which saw a United Autosports Audi dominate over half of a two-hour race and the Anglo-American team's "sister" R8 LMS of Matt Bell (GB) and Mike Guasch (USA) battling for the championship "crown".

Bell and Guasch went down fighting with a win or bust mentality. The #23 Audi ran in the top-four in the early stages but ultimately placed 16th (22nd overall). A collision with 24mins remaining necessitating a 9.5mins pit-stop for repairs costing them any hopes of claiming the championship "crown" on their first attempt.

While Matt and Mike were unable to add to their impressive eight top-10 finishes of the season, their main championship rivals Jim Geddie/Glynn Geddie finished third depriving the United Autosports team of its first championship title success.

But United Autosports certainly left its mark on this year's BGT – none more so than in yesterday's two-hour race – and not merely for just missing out narrowly on title honors at the final hurdle.

For while United Autosports' regular #24 Teknavo Audi BGT entry of John Bintcliffe (GB)/Jay Palmer (GB) recorded 14th place, a third UA R8 LMS of Zak Brown (USA) and Joe Osborne (GB) placed sixth around Silverstone's 3.66-mile Grand Prix track – marking the first three-car UA entry on a BGT grid which numbered 30 for the final race of 2011.

For Brown, it was his first BGT race since the 2010 season opening Easter races at Oulton Park – United Autosports' first-ever races – while Osborne was actually making his "proper" BGT debut. Joe raced a Ginetta G50Z in the invitational class (to GT3 spec) in 2009 in the series, starting from pole and winning both races at Rockingham.

A mid-distance Safety Car period with the #29 Draper Tools R8 LMS an impressive 36secs ahead of the field cost the Brown/Osborne Audi a likely top-three finish having led laps 2-37 in the 54-lap race. Brown robustly defended the lead after the compulsory pit-stops, banging wheels at times, and keeping spectators enthralled.

Contesting its first full season in BGT after the formation of the Leeds-based outfit just 20 months ago, United Autosports scored the first British GT Championship race win for the Audi R8 LMS sports car.

Bell and Guasch led the championship from rounds three to eight in their #23 Molecule R8 LMS and posted just one retirement in their V10-engined Audi due to accident damage.

Avon Tyres British GT Championship (final positions after 10 races):
1 Geddie/Geddie, 144-points
10 Matt Bell & Mike Guasch, 110.5pts
23 John Bintcliffe & Jay Palmer, 23pts

Upcoming...
Final two FIA GT3 European Championship races, Zandvoort (Netherlands), October 15-16 . . . Macau GT Cup (China), November 20...

Race (duration 120mins)
Qualifying: 3rd #29 Osborne, 2m 4.166; 4th #23 Bell, 2m 4.253s; 15th #24 Palmer, 2m 7.600s. Weather: Dry, cool, overcast.

Race Result: 6th (#29) +56.941s P1; 14th (#24) -1 lap; 16th / 22nd overall (#23) -4 laps. Weather: Dry, cool, overcast.

Championship leaders Jim Geddie/Glynn Geddie (#10 Ferrari 458 Italia) lined-up on the fifth row with Duncan Cameron/ Matt Griffin (#21 Ferrari 458 Italia), placed second in the series standings, on the third row – Bell/Guasch starting the final race 11pts and 3pts respectively behind their rivals.

The three United Autosports Audi R8 LMS sports cars of Osborne, Guasch and Palmer lined-up third, fourth and 15th – the latter's #24 Teknavo Audi rebuilt following its hard hit against the wall at Becketts Corner in Friday's opening practice.

Osborne moved into second place at Becketts on the opening lap and swept into the lead at Vale on lap two while Guasch ran sixth in the opening phase, Palmer dropping to 18th after contact with the #3 Ferrari.

Sixth-placed Guasch had both title rivals directly behind, the #21 & #10 Ferraris with 15mins gone, the American slipping to ninth 30mins in to the race while Osborne increased his lead advantage to five seconds.

Guasch spun down to 10th place after 37mins while attempting to lap a back marker as Palmer made a precautionary one-minute pit-stop from 17th on 41mins with a handling issue – Osborne now 20secs to the good at the front.

Mike handed over the #23 Audi to Bell on 55mins moments before a Safety Car period negated Osborne's very impressive 36secs lead advantage, Joe pitting to Brown during the caution, the race resuming with 43mins to run with Brown, Bell and Bintcliffe placed first, 10th and 16th.

Brown slipped to third while Bell moved up to seventh with 30mins left – Zak, driving aggressively and in a determined fashion, ultimately succumbed to the Bell/Guasch title rival #10 Ferrari and dropped to fifth as Bintcliffe moved up the order.

However the BGT title disappeared completely for the #23 Audi when, with 24mins to run, Bell and the sixth-placed #22 Mercedes contacted resulting in Matt heading to the pits for repairs which cost four laps – a bitter close to a season that has seen the #23 Audi bidding for race honors all year.

#23 Molecule – Audi R8 LMS

Matt Bell (GB). Age: 21. Born: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, T&W. Lives: Barningham, N. Yorks, England:

"It is disappointing going into a race where you are in championship title contention only to miss out. Unfortunately we didn't quite get the optimum set-up for the race, Mike had a problem during his stint and then I went for a move which was probably a little ambitious and made contact with another car damaging the Audi. I pitted and the crew did a great job. The car wasn't right when I went back out, there was still some damage to the rear but it was a brilliant effort by the guys. We've had a great year. We led the championship for most of the year. The Audi R8 LMS car is in its third year of racing while the Ferrari 458, for example, has come in this season and raised the bar. The team has done a great, professional job and I can't thank Richard and Zak enough for giving me this opportunity. So a disappointing end to what was a good year."

Michael Guasch (USA). Age: 53. Born: Palo Alto, California. Lives: Walnut Creek, California, USA:

"I am disappointed but I am also elated that the season is over, it's been a long year. Of course I'm disappointed we are not champions but it's a very tough series. The guys who won the championship deserved it – they did a fabulous job. My stint was difficult. I lost a couple of places at the start because I was slow away – I heard red, red, red over my radio and I thought the start had been aborted – things are a little different Stateside. Then there were four of us lapping a GT4 car. I was in the back and he cut in on me and I spun. I had good pace but not great pace. The Audi was very touchy today, a handful. It was a great learning year, much better than last year in the FIA for me and I really enjoyed running in Britain and the series. We were right in the middle of the title fight and I am proud of that."

#24 Teknavo – Audi R8 LMS

John Bintcliffe (GB). Age: 45. Born: Bridlington, E. Yorks. Lives: Harrogate, N. Yorkshire, England.

"I was too apprehensive in qualifying after my accident in practice and that continued into the race, only towards the end did I get into the groove. Unfortunately Jay stopped in the wrong place at the pit-stop costing us a lot of time as the team re-positioned the car. I had a good battle with a Ferrari. I've really enjoyed the season. I am very grateful to United Autosports, they've done a great job and it's not always been easy. I am thankful to Jay for getting me to drive with him this year."

Jay Palmer (GB). Age: 38. Born: Harrogate. Lives: Harrogate & London, England / Barbados.

"I didn't get a run in the car until this morning because of John's off on Friday morning so that was a set back. I had an okay start, managed to make up a couple of places and then had an altercation with Hector Lester and after that the Audi didn't feel quite right – it was an uphill struggle from there. I pitted because I thought I had a flat tire but it was just a lot of 'pick-up' on the tires. The season has been a big learning curve – enjoyable and disappointing in parts."

#29 Draper Tools – Audi R8 LMS

Joe Osborne (GB). Age: 22. Born: Bedford, GB. Lives: Olney, Buckinghamshire, GB:

"I only did a couple of 'flying' laps in practice and so went into qualifying a bit cold but hooked up a good lap. I started P3, was second by the first lap, then into the lead a lap later and just played it safe lapping traffic. Our strategy was working superbly and was eking out a nice lead so if the Safety Car hadn't have come out, we would have been on for a good result. Zak drove an awesome race and was super aggressive. Thanks United Autosports for putting me in the third car and Draper Tools for coming along for the Silverstone weekend."

Zak Brown (USA). Age: 39. Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:

"That was one of the more enjoyable races of the year. Had the Safety Car not come out our strategy would have been perfect – we had the chance to win. Joe did fantastically well, he just walked away with it until the Safety Car. I held onto the lead for a while before some really fun battles with a Porsche and then Ferrari – it was exciting from inside the car! We were banging wheels at times. Matt and Mike, plus the team, did a great job all year having led the championship for most of the year but for a couple of mistakes in the last two races, would have taken the title. I'm very proud of our team – to be fighting for a championship title in only our second year of competition and having won our first race, there can be no complaints from me. It was also good for our sponsor guests to witness us running competitively."

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

"It's been a typical United Autosports weekend: Lots of hard work, heartache, some highs and some lows! We were in contention until the last 30mins of the last race but it didn't quite work out. But the effort and professionalism from the entire team was absolutely first class and I'm extremely proud of every member. We've overcome a crashed car resulting in long repairs, long hours, a great qualifying performance and we were very competitive in the race. Matt tried to get us back in to contention – something he's often done successfully this year. To have Joe lead the race from the start and pull out a lead that was really healthy and Zak put in a very strong drive to defend our position against top quality drivers. We have had a great year and somewhat surprisingly considering the circumstances of not winning the title, I can't wait for next year! I would love to come back and do the British GT Championship again. We led the championship for most of the year and have been competitive at every race. I am not sure there has been a more competitive season. We are proud in our second season to have been up there in contention. We could have won it, I think we should have won it, but they are all good experiences but congratulations to the Geddies. We have the foundations of a championship winning team which we can build on for the future."

(ends)

United Autosports

Created in 2009, United Autosports is co-owned by American Zak Brown and Briton Richard Dean, both successful entrepreneurs and international race car drivers. The unique Anglo-American racing team fields GT3 class Audi R8 LMS sports cars from its United Kingdom headquarters in Leeds. It also races a fleet of "Legends of Motorsports" historic racing cars from its US facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2011, the team competes in full-seasons of FIA GT3 European Championship, Avon Tyres British GT Championship and the "Legends of Motorsports" series. It will additionally contest selected GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series events, the 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium) and Macau GT Cup race (China).

Audi R8 LMS

V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, 365-412 kW (496-560 PS), 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, Avon radial tires. Start weight 1,305kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won seven championships across Europe in 2009-2010 plus Spa 24 Hours class victory in début 2009 season and Nürburgring 24 Hours class victories in 2009-2010 and scoring a total 64 victories.

(ends)

Date of issue: Sunday October 9, 2011

• Bell, Bintcliffe, Guasch & Palmer biographies plus team & car profiles are available on the United Autosports website http://www.unitedautosports.com/
• A comprehensive library of Editorial Copyright Free photographs can be downloaded at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports/sets

For further information, please contact:
Martyn Pass
Audi UK Sport Press
T +44 1564 824600
M +44 7801 859502
E audiuk-motorsport@earthlink.net
Skype martyn.pass

United Autosports Bidding For British GT Championship Glory At First Attempt

Bell & Guasch in "maximum attack" mode as they face uphill battle for BGT honors at Silverstone

Anglo-American team wins race against time to prepare R8 LMS for Bintcliffe & Palmer

Maximum attack is the only course of action left for Matt Bell (GB) and Mike Guasch (USA) when they line-up for the 10th and final round of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Silverstone (GB) on Saturday (October 8).

The Anglo-American "combo" will start the two-hour finale only third in the championship standings despite eight top-10 results and just one retirement, 11-points off the championship lead.

But with 37.5pts up for grabs for the race winners, the championship "crown" is still on offer to 12 drivers in the title race.

The Leeds-based team has been in a race against time to re-build the John Bintcliffe (GB)/Jay Palmer (GB) R8 LMS. Bintcliffe suffered a high-speed accident in qualifying for the previous round at Donington Park (GB) last month.

The heavy impact with a concrete retaining wall destroyed the #24 Teknavo Audi necessitating a multitude of new parts from quattro GmbH in Germany and subsequently a complete rebuild in readiness for Silverstone's two-hour race around the 3.66-mile "Grand Prix" track.

Richard Dean and Bell were present for United Autosports' stunning American Le Mans Series début in which Dean's fellow team co-owner Zak Brown (USA), United Autosports' FIA GT3 driver Mark Patterson (USA) and Stefan Johansson (SE) finished second in the LM P2 category in the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race last Saturday (October 1).

Avon Tyres British GT Championship (after nine rounds):
1 Geddie/Geddie, 121.5-points
2 Griffin/Cameron, 113.5pts
3 Matt Bell & Mike Guasch, 110.5pts
23 John Bintcliffe & Jay Palmer, 23pts

Points will be awarded at Silverstone as follows:
1st 37.5pts; 2nd 27pts; 3rd 22.5pts; 4th 18pts; 5th 15pts; 6th 12pts; 7th 9pts; 8th 6pts; 9th 3pts; 10th 1.5pts

Championship permutations:
A race win for Bell/Guasch nets them the championship but only if the Geddies are third or lower. Second place would also be good enough so long as Geddies are fifth or lower and the race is not won by Cameron/Griffin, Lyons/Bateman or Ashburn. Third also wins them the title if Geddies are seventh or lower, Ashburn doesn't win, and Cameron/Griffin and/or Lyons/Bateman are behind.

Provisional Timetable:
Friday October 7 – 0900-0950 BGT Practice 1; 1420-1510 BGT Practice 2
Saturday October 8 - 0935-1010 BGT Qualifying; 1600-1800 BGT Race
* All times are UK "local"

#23 Molecule – Audi R8 LMS

Matt Bell (GB). Age: 21. Born: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, T&W. Lives: Barningham, N. Yorks, England:
"We have certainly a mountain to climb at Silverstone. Even if we win the race, it's down to where other people finish in terms of the championship. So we just need to make sure we do a good job and win the race and then see if luck has been with us. The FIA GT3 races at Silverstone in June didn't go particularly well for us but the Audi is better now. I do believe we are down in terms of the 'Balance of Performance' compared to the Ferraris and Porsches. They have more aero parts which gives them more grip and that's where we struggle in comparison."

Michael Guasch (USA). Age: 53. Born: Palo Alto, California. Lives: Walnut Creek, California, USA:
"I have raced at Silverstone previously and while it's not one of my favorite tracks it could be depending on the result! We will be competitive but cannot afford to make any mistakes. The mistakes in the previous race at Donington were all down to me – the team was flawless. I will be looking to make amends, rest assured of that."

Richard Dean (GB), Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports:
"Our goal is simple. We concentrate solely on winning the race and not thinking about the championship. We need to be decisive and aggressive."

United Autosports
Created in 2009, United Autosports is co-owned by American Zak Brown and Briton Richard Dean, both successful entrepreneurs and international race car drivers. The unique Anglo-American racing team fields GT3 class Audi R8 LMS sports cars from its United Kingdom headquarters in Leeds. It also races a fleet of "Legends of Motorsports" historic racing cars from its US facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2011, the team competes in full-seasons of FIA GT3 European Championship, Avon Tyres British GT Championship and the "Legends of Motorsports" series. It will additionally contest selected GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series events, the 24 Hours of Spa (Belgium) and Macau GT Cup race (China).

Audi R8 LMS
V10 5.2-liter engine, 4 valves per cylinder, petrol direct injection, 365-412 kW (496-560 PS), 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, Avon radial tires. Start weight 1,305kg. Limitation at 8500rpm for every gear. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH. Won seven championships across Europe in 2009-2010 plus Spa 24 Hours class victory in début 2009 season and Nürburgring 24 Hours class victories in 2009-2010 and scoring a total 64 victories.

Date of issue: Sunday October 2, 2011

Bell, Bintcliffe, Guasch & Palmer biographies plus team & car profiles are available on the United Autosports website http://www.unitedautosports.com/
A comprehensive library of Editorial Copyright Free photographs can be downloaded at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports/sets

For further information, please contact:
Martyn Pass
Audi UK Sport Press
T +44 1564 824600
M +44 7801 859502
E audiuk-motorsport@earthlink.net
Skype martyn.pass

For further information on-event at Silverstone, please contact:
Jay Ashton
M +44 7919 186291
E jay@unitedautosports.com
www.audi-press.co.uk
www.unitedautosports.com

United Autosports Pull Off Podium Goal at Petit Le Mans

United Autosports last night scored a stunning runner-up rostrum finish on their Le Mans Prototype race début. Zak Brown (USA), Stefan Johansson (SE) and Mark Patterson (USA) steered their Pescarolo-Judd home into second place in the LMP2 class as the checkered flag dropped on the Petit Le Mans race.

An early race set-back put their #22 car down to 49th overall but a strong car, faultless drives and expert pit stops saw Brown cross the line after 367 laps of the Road Atlanta race track 13^th overall and 2^nd in class.

With attrition always a large factor of endurance racing, United Autosports survived nine safety car periods and the team made just 13 pit stops to earn victory in the Michelin Green X Challenge.

In typical Petit Le Mans style, the first hour was an action-packed sixty minutes, which included two safety car periods. Johansson, who started the race fifth in class, had moved up to second in just 13 laps going into the first full course caution. But it was the second ‘yellow’ interval that would lose Johansson eight laps.

A slow-paced safety car backed the traffic up enough at the final chicane to cause a car to damage the #22’s rear bodywork, which forced Johansson into the pit lane with a smoking right rear corner. Unfortunately the car had to return to the garage for a replacement rear diffuser.

Great work by the motorsport crew would see Johansson return to the track fifteen minutes later with a full tank of fuel, new set of tyres and a complete new rear body section with a strategy that should pay off later in the race – now being able to run ‘long’.

By the time the race had reached quarter distance, Johansson had progressed to 4^th and had weaved his way through the ‘GT’ field into 36^th overall.

A fourth full course caution just shy of 3 hours into the event brought about the #22 car’s first driver change as Johansson handed over to Mark Patterson. In his debut Le Mans Prototype race, Patterson’s double-stint progressed #22 up to third in class when he returned to the pits for Brown’s LMP race debut just before half race distance.

It would be mid-way through Brown’s first double stint when the class-leading #26 Oreca 03 Nissan ran into problems, promoting Brown to 2^nd spot, which would then remain unchallenged.

Entering into the ‘night’ period, the circuit was in almost complete darkness with just 60 laps of the 1000-mile race remaining. Patterson was knocking on the door of the top ten overall but couldn’t close the gap to the lead #33 car that was maintaining a blistering pace. However, the gap to third was looking safe and well under control.

Drama continued into the closing stages for Brown who found himself in the middle of a ‘GT’ class battle as the final yellow flag period of the race bunched the remaining cars together for a dash to the flag. Brown put all his long distance experience into play achieving his team’s goal of a podium finish at arguably one of the world’s greatest motor races.

Race result for LMP2 class: 1^st (6^th overall): #33 Level 5 Motorsports; 2^nd (13^th) United Autosports; 3^rd (22^nd) Signatech Nissan

#22 – United Autosports Pescarolo-Judd LMP2

Zak Brown (USA). Age: 39. Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA:

“It was a great debut here, taking second place at Petit Le Mans. Stefan got hit from behind early on which put us down; otherwise we would have had a big fight there for the win. The season’s not over yet but it’s a good way to start wrapping things up and thinking about next year.

“Everyone drove great; we all pulled our weight, nobody made any mistakes and the car was great the entire time. The last five laps were stressful but it was great to take the chequer. I’d love to come back and race these cars again and I bet I will one day.”

Stefan Johansson (SE). Age: 55. Born: Växjö, Sweden. Lives: Los Angeles, California, USA:

“The car was performing great all day, Mark and Zak didn’t make any mistakes and that’s exactly what we set out to do. The team did a fantastic job in the pit stops, and we just kept our nose clean.

“We were doing good lap times and it’s a pity [about the early race contact] but second is better than third. Hopefully we’ll have another try at winning the cake some other time.”

Mark Patterson (USA). Age: 59. Born: Port Elizabeth, SA. Lives: Bronxville, New York State, USA:

“I got an hour and a quarter and an hour and a half stints – one kicked in right as the sun was going down to pitch black and trust me that was a lot of agitate. There are two corners here where there’s no light at all but it’s easier to break late there because you can’t see the danger!

“But the tires were great, the car was great, the mechanics and engineers were first rate and there wasn’t a single mistake by all three drivers over 9.5 hours – that’s pretty unbelievable. We were careful and angry. We got the job done, but didn’t take too much risk. “

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

"I’ve been to this race three or four times and it’s a tough race to crack and I’m a bit stunned! DAMS are a world-class team in every formula they do so to partner them here was exactly the right thing and I can’t praise them enough. We’ve learned a lot working with them and to get United Autosports on the podium is exactly what was planned.

"I do not expect this to be United Autosports’ one and only foray into LMP racing. Quite when we go into a full-time campaign is something that will no doubt come up in conversation but we have a McLaren season to get through. We’ll be looking at when to make the right move to come full-time I’m sure.”

Upcoming: Final round of the British GT Championship at Silverstone (England) on October 8 . . . final two FIA GT3 European Championship races, Zandvoort (Netherlands), October 15-16 . . . Macau GT Cup (China), November 20 . . .