- Previous champions United Autosports return to GT Cup for third year running
- Phil Burgan ready to take top step of podium
- Team enters seventh consecutive year with Audi Sport Customer Racing
United Autosports will make their return to the GT Cup this weekend at Donington Park (23-24 April).
Phil Burgan will race the Audi R8 LMS ultra and will be partnered by United Autosports regular, Matt Bell. After 10 podiums and a third place finish in the 2015 GTO championship, Phil is aiming for his first trip to the top step of the podium with Matt, alongside bringing his experience and expertise to the team.
United Autosports will continue with their Audi GT3 programme they have been involved with since the team began, by running Phil in four rounds of the British championship. Matt Bell, who is no stranger to the team or the Audi R8, will join Phil for the pit stop races at each event.
The GT Cup weekend begins with the practice session at 09.45 on Saturday, followed by qualifying at 12.10. The first of the two sprint races begins at 15.50 with the second starting at 18.05. On Sunday, track action begins at 09.35 with a 10-minute warm up, followed by qualifying at 12.25. The pit stop race will begin at 15.00.
Phil Burgan, Driver, United Autosports:
“I’m really looking forward to this year. I’m feeling really fit and I’m raring to go and looking forward to the season. We’ve committed to four rounds, we might do a few more depending on how we get on. I’m looking forward to working with Matt. Doing all the racing last year on my own was tough at my age so it will be nice to share the burden. I’m learning a lot as well from him. We’ve only done one shakedown day but I’ve learnt quite a lot already which is good.”
Matt Bell, Driver, United Autosports:
“Entering the GT Cup is going to be fun and a little bit like coming home for me in the Audi where I’ve have had such good fun and success over the last few years with United. It’s great that we are starting out at Donington Park too where we’ve stood on the top step quite often so I’m looking to go back and do the same with Phil. It will be the first time I’ve worked with Phil, but I’ve met him a few times before and obviously he’s engrossed himself well with the team and there’s a great relationship there and we seemed to get on very well from the start so I’m looking forward to working with him across a race weekend. It’s all looking quite positive going into the weekend.”
Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:
“I’m looking forward to going racing with the Audi and Phil again. It will be great to have Matt alongside us too, passing on his invaluable Audi knowledge to Phil. We should go well at Donington. As we are only doing selected rounds, there’s no pressure on to race for the championship. Having said that, we are still aiming for the top step of the podium.”