24h Le Mans
Paul Di Resta made his first foray into endurance racing earlier this year when he contested the 24 Hours of Daytona, followed by the 12 Hours of Sebring in the Ligier LMP2 for United Autosports two weeks ago. The Scotsman is now set to compete in the same car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this June, teamed with Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque.
Fourth in LMP2 and fifth overall on its maiden Le Mans appearance in 2017, United Autosports is moving up a gear in 2018 with the entry of two Ligier JS P217s in the European Le Mans Series and at Le Mans, where the squad will include two top-flight drivers: Juan Pablo Montoya (see Juan Pablo Montoya (Ligier) to race at the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans) and Paul Di Resta.
Both will come to La Sarthe as rookies but they are far from beginners in endurance racing: Montoya won the 500 Miles of Indianapolis in 2000 and the 24 Hours of Daytona three times, and Di Resta, who took the title in DTM, the German touring car championship in 2010, came fourth at the 24 Hours of Daytona and fifth at the 12 Hours of Sebring this year.
Di Resta soon got to grips with driving a prototype, scoring the fastest lap for the crew in the Ligier JS P217 several times during free practice, convincing United Autosports to name him to race the qualifiers at Sebring. The Scot will also drive for the American team – based in the UK – at Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans, which together with Daytona and Sebring, count towards the NAEC (North American Endurance Cup), a mini-championship comprising the four long races of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The former Force India F1 driver and Mercedes protégé will not be the first member of his family to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This son of a racing driver is also a cousin of Marino Franchitti, who has raced at Le Mans six times, including once as an official Ford driver in GT, and of four-time IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchetti, who has only been to La Sarthe to cheer on his brother.
For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Paul Di Resta will thus be joining Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque, former Audi works driver, in the #22 Ligier JS P217, while the team’s second car, the #32, will be entrusted to Will Owen, Hugo de Sadeleer and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Photo (Copyright – United Autosport): Paul Di Resta raced the 12 Hours of Sebring with United Autosports on 17 March this year.
