British duo Will Bratt and Glynn Geddie join “gentleman” racers Alain Li and Mark Patterson in United Autosports’ Total Spa 24 Hours line-up this weekend.
The Anglo-American team enters a single Audi R8 LMS ultra this year supported by Allied World, UBS and Viglen bidding for Pro-Am category honours.
Oxford-born Bratt, aged 25, will be making his 24 hour race debut.
Bratt confirmed: “I did a 12 hour race in the Audi with United Autosports last December but Spa will be my first ever twice-around-the-clock race.
“I’m really looking forward to it, especially as it’s at Spa which is one of the best and most challenging tracks in the world.
“The R8 is obviously faster in a straight line than the BTCC Audi I drive regularly, which makes it great fun to drive, and has bigger ‘wings’ generating aerodynamic downforce.
“The R8 also has driver ‘aids’ like traction control and an anti-lock braking system. It takes time to get used to these but you can really use both to good effect when you’ve become accustomed to them.”
Will is a former FIA Formula Two Championship race winner at the Belgian track.
Meanwhile Geddie participates in his third 24 hour race but the 23-year-old from Aberdeen only gets to drive the Audi for the first time in the opening practice session.
“It’s not an ideal scenario but I’m just so delighted to have got the Spa drive with United Autosports,” confirmed Geddie.
“United has run the Audi R8 since 2010 so they know the car while I’ve seen a lot of it in recent GT3 races without actually having driven one.
“From what United Autosports co-owner Richard Dean and other drivers have told me, it’s a reasonably easy car to drive and get to know – I’m certain that I’ll adapt to it quickly.”
While the Audi is an unknown quantity to Geddie, the team is not. Glynn made his United Autosports debut in April this year and drives in the European Supercar Challenge – a series he currently leads with father Jim.
Geddie has previously raced seven times at the Belgian track – scoring five top-three “podium” results.
Glynn added: “I’m so impressed with the UA operation. It’s a team I really want to settle down with for the future and hopefully the Spa race will give me a stage to showcase what I’m capable of against a very high class field.
“I raced for the first time in the Spa 24 Hours in 2009 and then competed in the Daytona 24 Hours two years ago.
“With the combination of the excellent driver line-up United has pulled together and the pace and reliability of the Audi, I’m certain we can be class front-runners and with a slice of luck, bid for a top-three podium finish.”
Hong Kong-based Li and South Africa-born Patterson are regular United Autosports drivers who will be racing for the fourth consecutive year for the Leeds-based team in an Audi.
