United Autosports have confirmed that Paul Di Resta will join their Le Mans 24 Hours team in 2018.
The former F1 driver and DTM Champion will make his debut in the world famous 24-hour race in the team’s Ligier JS P217 alongside Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque.
Paul will race the same car in which he made his sports car debut with United Autosports at Daytona earlier this year, where he finished fourth alongside Will Owen, Hugo de Sadeleer and Bruno Senna. Since then, Paul has raced for the team in the Sebring 12 Hours, finishing fifth with Alex Brundle and Phil Hanson. Paul has been part of the United Autosports US driver line up as they race in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup, with the Six Hours of Watkins Glen being the next round, held two weeks after the Le Mans 24 Hours.
United Autosports have had two Le Mans 24 Hours entries confirmed and will also be entering a Ligier JS P217 for Will Owen, Hugo de Sadeleer and Juan Pablo Montoya.
The 2018 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will begin at 15:00 on Saturday 16th June.
Paul Di Resta, driver, United Autosports:
“It’s exciting news to be continuing the partnership with everyone at United and undertaking the Le Mans 24 Hours. It’s a race I’ve always looked at closely and now I’m getting the chance at the right time to have a go. It will be good to race alongside Phil again after the Sebring 12 Hours, which was a success and I’m excited to see how partnering Filipe goes. I’ve known him a long time and he is a credit to endurance racing. The task is to go and win and from what I’ve been told, that’s not too ambitious. We will do the best job possible to aim for that in the race.”
Zak Brown, Team Owner and Chairman, United Autosports:
“I’m thrilled to have Paul join our Le Mans 24 Hours team. He has done a fantastic job racing in America for United Autosports and I know he will continue that onto Le Mans. He knows the car now so all he’s got to learn is the circuit, which I’m confident he will do quickly.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“We now have two great driver line ups for Le Mans. I was keen to get Paul in our car for the race after his performance at Daytona. His drive at Sebring just confirmed it as well, he looks like a seasoned sports car driver, even though Sebring was only his second sports car race. Paul really fits in well with the team and he has had made a positive contribution to what we are trying to achieve here. I’m excited for Le Mans – fingers crossed we can have a good result like in 2017, and maybe even go one better and head for the podium.”
