United Autosports scores third consecutive ELMS victory

A nine week break in the six-race series seemingly had no detrimental effect on a United Autosports team that is competing in ELMS and the LMP3 category for the first time. Having placed first and second (Silverstone) and first and seventh (Imola), a fourth podium of the season in Austria today earns the UK-based squad a healthy 33-points lead in the Teams’ standings at the mid-stage of the championship.

United’s #3 and #2 Ligiers lined-up second and eighth on the 38-car grid respectively, Boyd and Brundle having secured the grid spots the previous day in the 10 minute qualifying session around the sweeping 2.69-mile circuit situated in the Styrian foothills – with Alex’s father, Martin, an interested spectator.

The #3 and #2 Ligiers suffered massively varying fortunes in the opening 15 minutes with Brundle in the #2 charging through to second while Patterson, having briefly led at turn one, pitted with a punctured right tyre after contact from a car behind on lap two dropping Mark to 19th and last in the LMP3 category. Further vital time was lost when Patterson pitted the #3 again on 45 minutes to have rear bodywork repairs made – a legacy of the flaying tyre carcass earlier.

Brundle pitted from second place with just short of an hour on the clock, Guasch taking over, Patterson handing over the #3 Ligier to Bell placed 17th just after mid-distance, while Guasch handed over the #2 car to England. Boyd took over from Bell 14th with less than an hour to run. With 30 minutes to go following a Full Course Yellow, Christian was just 10 seconds off the LMP3 class lead, eventually taking second place just 3.458 seconds behind the winner with Boyd bringing the “sister” car home an unrepresentative 14th. But a Stewards Decision late on Sunday evening handed the winning car a four-second penalty promoting United Autosports to the No1 spot.

The fourth race in the series is staged at Paul Ricard in France on 28 August.