United Autosports Audi R8 LMS To Contest Spa 24 Hour With All-Star Driver's Lineup

[Administrator]

American-owned, UK-based United Autosports will contest the prestigious Spa 24 Hour race later this month (July 31-August 1) with an all-star lineup of drivers including former Grand Prix pilots Mark Blundell and Stefan Johansson along with Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever.

In preparation for the race, United Autosports will be testing its fleet of Audi R8 LMS racecars at the world famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit (Belgium) on Wednesday (July 7). Just three days earlier the UA Audi R8s were at another of Europe's most eye-catching circuits for the latest round of the FIA GT3 Championship, the Paul Ricard high speed track near Marseille, France and its blue, black and red painted run-off areas (which make for some pretty amazing photographs, like the one above).

Powered by a 5.2-liter V10 engine (series limited to approximately 500-hp), the Audi R8 LMS is rear-wheel-drive and is equipped with a sophisticated traction control system, sequential 6-speed gearbox, carbon fiber composite/aluminum bodywork, and Michelin racing slicks. Developed by Audi Sport with cooperation from quattro GmbH, the R8 LMS won the FIA GT3 European Championship, ADAC-GT Masters and Belgian GT Championship plus Nürburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours class victories in its debut season last year, scoring a total 23 victories.

It should be interesting to see if the United Autosports team can make it back-to-back Spa 24 Hours class victories for Audi or if the balance of power within GT3 has shifted in favor of the Chevrolet Corvettes, Porsches, BMWs, Lamborghinis or Ferraris.

More: United Autosports Audi R8 LMS To Contest Spa 24 Hour With All-Star Driver's Lineup on AutoGuide.com

[harrison]

That is a really nice pic. Let's go 'Merica !!!!!

[Bodhii]

To actually compete for a victory would mean that this team's two wealthy amateur owner/drivers ( cars 22 & 23) would not be driving. I doubt if that will happen.

If there has ever been a more ugly R8, I haven't seen it. Nothing against the colors. It just where they decided to put them and the silly Evil Knievel theme.





I think these two owners have also hired their own publicist!!! LOL,.. I''m sure we will be seeing much more of them. And not because of the victories won.
Funny that this article mentions nothing about the very professional Audi R8 racing teams that also race in this same series:Team Rosberg, Phoenix Racing, Black Falcon, and Team Sainteloc.

[Bodhii]

If there has ever been a more ugly R8, I haven't seen it.

*Update... I HAVE seen it !

[KfabR8]

OMG! Someone needs to pull that person out of the car and beat him with a small stick for doing that to an R8.

Trees are one thing, but to do that???

[harrison]

Looks like the car was hit with an "ugly stick". But, they may be colors that signify ...something??