The trio of drivers — Australian Griffin Peebles, Swiss driver Grégoire Saucy and British driver Ben Hanley — powered into the second round of the 2026 season, pulling away from the rest of the field, establishing a staggering 20 second lead prior to the first safety car period. LMP2 rookie Peebles was awarded the Wingfoot Award for ‘Driver of the Race’ in the LMP2 class after a stellar double stint in the European championship, handing the car over to his capable team-mates in first position who successfully continued where Peebles left off and brought the car home for the victory.
“Amazing weekend taking the win at Paul Ricard for Round 2 of ELMS! It was great to start the weekend on the front row, thanks to Grégoire for a strong qualifying performance,” said eighteen-year-old LMP2 driver, Griffin Peebles.
“I made a great start from the front row, claiming the lead at the end of the first lap. The car felt great, and we built a solid lead before the first safety car. In the first set of pit stops, we extended that lead before I handed the car over to Grégoire in P1. He had great pace and maintained the lead until Ben got in towards the end. It was a very intense final hour, with Ben defending from the chasing Inter Europol and Panis cars, but he held on firmly to take the win at the chequered flag — an amazing result.
A fantastic job from the team this weekend to secure that win. It was also a great surprise to receive the Wingfoot Award for Driver of the Race — a perfect way to top off an incredible weekend!
Griffin Peebles
Following a fiercely contested season opener in Barcelona, where the #22 crew secured a P3 podium finish, the number 22 LMP2 car now leads the championship after this weekend’s victory.
“An incredible job from the team this weekend,” said United Autosports Managing Director, Max Gregory. “All three drivers performed brilliantly. That’s two races in a row for Griffin where he has taken a commanding lead of the race, only for it to be diminished by a Virtual Safety Car. He has done a fantastic job in his first two races with us in the LMP2 class and glad we could convert this one to a win.
“Alongside teammates Grégoire and Ben, they delivered exactly what we know they are capable of. Grégoire controlled the race in P1 for his entire stint, before Ben had to defend robustly towards the end — ultimately holding the lead and securing a well-deserved victory.”
“A really strong day for the team. It’s been a while since our last win in ELMS — so to achieve a double podium in the first round and a win in the second is a brilliant result. It’s a credit to the entire team and all the hard work put in over the winter.”
A new addition to the team, Director of Customer Racing Tom Hodgson, also highlighted the effort behind the team’s success:
“We’ve got a great group of people working extremely well together, and the results are showing on track. Two podiums in the first race and a win in the second reflects the effort being put in behind the scenes back at HQ to ensure we arrive fully prepared and ready to compete.
“We also have a strong driver line-up, all working cohesively with each other and the team. Altogether, we’re doing a great job, and as a result, we now lead the championship. We’re excited to see what the rest of the ELMS season brings.”
For the sister LMP2 entry competing in the Pro-Am class, with Daniel Schneider, Marino Sato and Oliver Jarvis, the returning trio finished in the points with P8. After a strong opening stint from Schneider, who kept the car in contention with the leading pack, the team executed a solid pit sequence before handing over to Sato, followed by Jarvis. Despite battling a less than ideal balance in the car, the trio secured a top-10 finish and valuable points in Round Two.
It was a tough day at the office for the McLaren crew. A hardware issue slowed the car during Michael Birch’s stint shortly after the one-hour mark. The team brought the car in for repair, and the LMGT3 entry returned to the race thanks to a quick turnaround from the #23 mechanics. However, without full confidence that the issue wouldn’t re-appear, the car was retired ahead of further investigation.
Despite the setback, the #23 McLaren remains firmly in championship contention, currently P4 in the standings, following its P2 podium at the opening round. Next, the Papaya McLaren will make its debut in the Road to Le Mans support race — part of the 24 Hours of Le Mans week — with Birch and co-driver Patterson competing in a three-hour endurance event at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe.
The team now returns to United Autosports HQ in the UK to prepare for the biggest race of the endurance calendar, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. United Autosports will field three entries across the event at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, including two LMP2 cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship and an LMGT3 entry in the Road to Le Mans support race.
This year marks the team’s 10th anniversary, celebrating a decade of top-level endurance racing at one of motorsport’s most iconic venues. The 94th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on 13–14 June 2026, with testing, free practice, and qualifying sessions beginning on 10 June. Stay up to date with the team via social media @unitedautosports.
