British Youngster Joins United Autosports’ 2011 FIA GT3 Euro Campaign

·       Joe Osborne steps up for full European season to co-drive with Mark Patterson

·       “Sister” Audi R8 LMS entry remains unchanged for Zak Brown and Matt Bell

·       Audi’s only official Anglo-American “customer” team determined to build on maiden 2010 season

Exciting young British sportscar prospect Joe Osborne has been snapped up by the Anglo-American United Autosports team for a full FIA GT3 European Championship campaign next year.

Osborne, aged 21, embarks on his first full GT3 season next May* after sporadic outings in British GT4 and FIA GT3 Euro this year. He will co-drive an Audi R8 LMS with Mark Patterson, the American who tied equal second with 2010 United Autosports co-driver Michael Guasch (USA) in the FIA championship’s Audi Manufacturer's Cup.

Meanwhile United Autosports’ Chairman & Co-Owner Zak Brown (USA) continues for a second consecutive year driving the “sister” Audi with Matthew Bell, the Briton who celebrated his 21^st birthday last month (Nov 5).

Osborne won the 2004 British Junior Kart TKM Championship before moving in to single-seaters courtesy of a scholarship from Formula BMW UK but budget constraints obliged Joe to switch his attention to sports cars, winning the European GT4 Championship last year.

Joe, who was made a British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) Rising Star in 2009, made his FIA GT3 European Championship début this year, contesting three rounds and recording two top-five finishes (Silverstone & Jarama) in a Porsche 911 GT3R.

United Autosports has already announced a two-car Audi entry in the 2011 British GT Championship with Bell and Guasch linking up with Audi’s former British Touring Car Championship race winner John Bintcliffe (England) co-driving with fellow Yorkshireman Jay Palmer (England). Draper Tools will be a team partner for both the FIA and BGT campaigns.

* Assumes 2011 FIA GT3 European Championship begins in May.

Joe Osborne (GB). Age: 21. Born: Bedford, England. Lives: Olney, Buckinghamshire, England:

“I’m excited to be joining United Autosports and very much looking forward to racing the Audi R8 LMS. It was on the wrong side of the Balance of Performance calculations until the final four races this year so I’m hopeful we’ll be competitive from the first race next season. I will have a pre-season testing program for the first time in my career which I’m already itching to start.

“It was my intention to race with United Autosports in 2010 but couldn't raise the funds. However, seeing them in action this season confirmed what I already knew in that it is an ultra-professional outfit. I know many of the guys from my Ginetta days over the past three years and they have the same drive and passion to win as me – the single most critical thing.

“The European Championship is the premier GT3 series in the world and provides some of the best GT racing with so many manufacturers making it of huge interest to competitors and spectators. Racing on the very best European tracks in a series that offers ‘live’ television for sponsors just emphasizes the professionalism of the series.”

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

“The prospect of a second season in the European GT3 series with United Autosports thrills me. The series is loaded with good drivers, competitive teams, sexy looking race cars, a big league promotional organizer with an excellent sense of high profile marketeering [SRO] and an authoritative overseer in the form of the FIA. That’s a perfect skeleton, so throw in a series of new and established rock ‘n roll race tracks, there’s more than enough meat on those bones to have a racing party.  It’s serious, it’s fun and it’s very competitive.”

Matthew Bell (GB). Age: 20.  Lives: Barningham nr Richmond, North Yorkshire, England:

“2011 is shaping up to be a very busy year for me! A second consecutive full season in the European GT3 series as well as contesting the BGT will mean I am in the car a lot more often than I was this year which should help me build on my experience I gained in my first year of GT3 racing.

“I will be aiming for championship honors. Next season United Autosports and I will be a lot better prepared. I am currently doing the Formula Renault Winter Cup Series to gain as much experience as I can and that combined with a good pre-season testing schedule will be the perfect preparation for what I expect to be a very competitive and exciting 2011 campaign.”

Zak Brown (USA). Driver, Chairman, Co-Owner United Autosports:

“It’s great to have Joe joining us which completes what I believe will be a very competitive two-car line-up for us in the European series. Both cars have good driver combos and I’m expecting both to be fighting for podium placings. We’ve just finished what has been a fantastic début year and all credit goes to Richard and the team he's built. We had a very tough start to the 2010 season but it was amazing how quickly we improved and by midyear we were leading races and routinely on the podium. Race wins are just right around the corner.”

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

“Joe deserves this chance. I am a big fan of his after working with him when he won the 2009 European GT4 Championship. He will be a perfect ‘fit’ for Mark and indeed the entire team. Our FIA championship line-up for 2011 is very strong. Next season the combination of experienced, ultra-competitive second year drivers in Mark and Zak paired with two young, very quick, drivers in Joe and Matt is a perfect scenario. Our maiden 2010 was new in every way; team, cars, drivers, championship and circuits. Despite this we still managed front row and podium placings. 2011 promises to be very exciting as we will be better prepared from the green light in the opening race as well as highly motivated!”

* A comprehensive library of Editorial Copyright Free photographs can be downloaded at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports.

Draper Tools Becomes Partner Of United Autosports’ 2011 Programs

United Autosports’ brace of Audi R8 LMS sports cars will be adorned in Draper Tools livery for the Anglo-American team’s attack on the FIA GT3 European and British GT Championships next year.

Draper Tools Limited is a family-run company supplying hand tools to industry since 1919. In addition to car branding Draper Tools, based in Hampshire, England, will supply equipment and consumables for both United Autosports’ FIA and BGT teams.

The company sells products in all major tool categories including automotive, builders, DIY, gardening, construction, decorating and engineering. More recently Draper Tools, awarded accolades for the high quality of its products, has diversified into hobby, leisure and other non tool lines.

In addition to FIA races likely to be staged in England, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and Spain plus BGT races (listed below), United Autosports will be in action again at the 24 Hours of Spa (July 30-31) where it claimed stunning third and fourth places in the GT3 category last year.

United Autosports will also work closely with Draper Tools so that valued existing and potential customers attend races in Europe next year and watch the action close-up. Draper Tools also has an agreement with Grand Prix Racing (GPR) who will be both promoting and selling the Draper brand via their Silverstone facility and its website.

2011 Avon Tyres British GT Championship

08 Mar  Silverstone  Media/Test Day

09 Mar  Silverstone  Test Day

23-25 Apr  Oulton Park  2hr race

14/15 May  Snetterton 300  2hr race

18/19 Jun  Brands Hatch  2x1hr races

07/08 Jul  Spa-Francorchamps  2x1hr races

tbc  Silverstone or Donington  2x1hr races

03/04 Sep  Rockingham  2x1hr races

24/25 Sep  Donington Park GP  3hr race

08/09 Oct  Silverstone Arena  2hr race

(Provisional calendar)

Clive Richardson, Marketing Director at Draper Tools:

“Our new association with United Autosports is a further extension of our ongoing brand awareness at the top level of automotive tool users. Our company is delighted to be the team’s prime tooling sponsor and are very excited at being linked with major brands like Audi and Dunlop. Being associated with these prestige brands on race tracks throughout Europe will further promote the Draper Tools brand in this key product sector.”

Zak Brown (USA). Driver, Chairman, Co-Owner United Autosports:

“It’s great to have fantastic partners such as Draper Tools support our team. We depend heavily on their superb equipment to help us build and maintain our racecars so the association fits perfectly.”

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

“Draper Tools’ backing of United Autosports is a further endorsement of our new but fast moving team! Draper has a high end and extensive product range which fits perfectly with the exacting standards our team require. Motorsport always works in an extreme environment that proves any product and our engineers are delighted and proud to be in partnership with Draper Tools.”

* A comprehensive library of Editorial Copyright Free photographs can be downloaded at www.flickr.com/unitedautosports.

United Autosports Outlines Ambitious Growth Plans for 2011

·       Two-car Audi R8 LMS entry planned for full British GT and FIA GT3 European Championship campaigns next season

·       Prestigious European twice-around-the-clock races at Nürburgring and Spa also on provisional schedule for Audi “official” customer team

 

United Autosports has ambitious plans for its second season by expanding its current Audi “official” customer program in 2011.

 

In addition to the FIA GT3 European Championship which the American-owned team has focused upon in its first year of competition, the Leeds (England) based team intends to enter a brace of Audi R8 LMS GT3 sports cars in the British GT Championship.

 

The team also plans to contest two “classic” endurance 24 Hour races, at the Nürburgring (Germany) and Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), United Autosports placing third and fourth in GT3 in its maiden 24 hour race at Spa earlier this month.

 

Richard Dean, Managing Director & Co-Owner of United Autosports, confirmed: “United Autosports will continue in the FIA series but aims to complement this with a full British GT series campaign. Matt Bell has built a relationship with us at national level and is now doing a great job for us in the FIA series.

 

“It also makes sense to race in the UK as we’re based in Leeds. We already have a major UK sponsor [West London Audi] and are in negotiation with other potential ‘home’ sponsors. United Autosports made its race début in the British GT Championship. I’ve been very impressed with the quality and professionalism of the British series and look forward to regularly being a part of it next season.” 

 

Zak Brown, Chairman & Co-Owner of United Autosports, added: “In addition to the FIA GT3 European Championship and British GT Championship programs, we aim to contest the Nürburgring and Spa 24 Hour races with the Audi R8 LMS.

 

“We’ve been extremely happy with the support United Autosports has received from Audi in our first year. We want to be a part of the German manufacturer’s customer plans again next year in preparation for an even bigger schedule that I’m aiming to achieve for 2012 and beyond.”