United Autosports has announced that Filipe Albuquerque will partner previously confirmed drivers Will Owen and Hugo de Sadeleer in the team’s Ligier JS P217 in the 2017 European Le Mans Series.
“I am really happy to join United Autosports,” commented Albuquerque, who in 2016 competed in the full FIA WEC season with RGR Sport by Morand’s Ligier, winning a pair of races. “They are a very experienced team, they won the LMP3 ELMS last year so they really know what they are doing. This year will be my third ELMS season. I have been close to winning it before and I will work hard to make it happen this year especially finishing again in Portugal at a track that I really like.
“I am looking forward to working with two young guns. I already know Will as he tested with me at Bahrain last year and he was very fast. It will be a challenge for him to learn all the tracks but I am sure I can guide him well as we did at the rookie test. As for Hugo, he comes from Formula Renault, a series that I know very well, so it will be beneficial to him knowing all the tracks. He will have to deal with all the traps that an endurance race has but I am confident he will do fine too. I am optimistic about our Ligier JS P217 chassis. I have already done some testing and development, of course the competition will be hard but I think Ligier have done a great job on this car.”
“We have been chasing a top-line experienced and proven race winner to complete our line up in LMP2,” added team owner Richard Dean. “Filipe is everything we have been looking for. His ability to bring on our two exciting young prospects was a key factor in this decision. It is such an exciting time for United Autosports but we have a lot to learn in LMP2 for both the Le Mans 24 Hours and the ELMS. Having Filipe in our team is reassuring and confidence inspiring and I think shows our intentions to attack 2017 in the same way we did LMP3 in 2016”.
The team will be testing this weekend at Portimao, Portugal as it begins its pre-season testing programme. All eight of the team’s ELMS drivers will be in attendance, including its LMP3 drivers John Falb, Sean Rayhall, Mark Patterson, Wayne Boyd and Christian England, with the 2016 champions working hard to defend its 2016 championship title.
The European Le Mans Series begins with the official Prologue at Monza, Italy on 28-29 March.
