United Autosports USA Bio
United Autosports USA is the American arm of United Autosports, a sports car racing team co-founded in 2009 by Zak Brown and Richard Dean. Based in Mooresville, North Carolina, the operation fields endurance prototypes and GT entries and prepares historic racing cars while competing across IMSA, FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series events.
Early Life and Background
United Autosports began in Wakefield, England in 2009 when businessman Zak Brown and former driver Richard Dean launched a sports car program that quickly expanded internationally. The team established a reputation for customer racing, historic car preparation and international endurance campaigns before expanding its footprint in the United States.
Growth included sustained involvement in European and global endurance series and a historic racing programme that preserves and races significant cars from multiple decades. The organization announced a U.S. base in Mooresville, North Carolina in 2023 to support an expanded IMSA programme and closer ties to North American motorsport operations.
Path to MotorSports
United Autosports built its path by contesting national GT championships and endurance events, progressing from British GT and Blancpain Endurance Series entries to prototype racing in the European Le Mans Series and then global endurance events. Early partnerships and guest drivers helped the team step up into higher prototype classes and international endurance competition.
Key strategic moves included entry into LMP3 and LMP2 categories in the European Le Mans Series, investment in Ligier and Oreca machinery, and development of driver programmes that paired experienced professionals with emerging talent. The team also forged technical and commercial alliances, including a stake in Walkinshaw Andretti United and later a manufacturer partnership with McLaren Automotive for LMGT3 competition.
United Autosports USA Career
Early Career (2009–2016)
In its first years, United Autosports campaigned GT machinery including Audi R8 LMS and McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars, claiming national-level wins and the first victory for the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in British GT competition. The team expanded into prototype racing and made its debut in LMP3 in the European Le Mans Series, quickly winning races and both team and driver championships in LMP3.
United Autosports combined historic racing commitments with contemporary programmes, entering marquee events such as the Spa 24 Hours, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as its experience and resources grew. The early period established the team’s endurance focus and its capability to manage multi-car operations across series.
European Le Mans Series and WEC Breakthrough (2017–2020)
The team moved into LMP2 competition and secured race wins and strong championship results in the European Le Mans Series, advancing to the FIA World Endurance Championship with an Oreca 07 entry. United Autosports earned class podiums in WEC rounds and delivered a landmark season in 2020 by winning the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 category and the 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 class.
The 2020 season also brought the European Le Mans Series title and further LMP3 success, making United Autosports the first team to capture ELMS, Le Mans LMP2 and the WEC LMP2 championship in the same year. That trio of achievements validated the program’s development path from national GT competition to world-class prototype performance.
United Autosports USA Era (2023–Present)
United Autosports announced an expanded United States programme in 2023 and established a base in Mooresville, North Carolina to prepare for IMSA competition. United Autosports USA began contesting IMSA events and appeared at the 24 Hours of Daytona with a special-liveried Oreca 07 in 2024, taking LMP2 pole at Daytona and securing early-season IMSA success in subsequent races.
From 2024 the team also partnered with McLaren Automotive as the official racing partner in the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 class, fielding McLaren GT machinery while maintaining prototype efforts. United Autosports continued to mix historic racing commitments with top-level endurance programmes and a growing presence in North American endurance sportscar racing.
Driving Style and Strengths
United Autosports emphasizes endurance racecraft, reliability and multi-driver collaboration, combining experienced professional drivers with younger talents to maximize consistency across long-distance events. The organisation’s strengths include multi-category programme management, customer-racing capability and expertise in preparing both modern prototypes and historic cars for competitive events.
Notable Events and Milestones
Signature milestones include LMP2 class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020 and 2024, the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title in 2020, and the team’s first 24 Hours of Daytona victory in 2025. The 2023 announcement of a U.S. base and the 2024 McLaren Automotive partnership marked strategic shifts toward broader manufacturer collaboration and a sustained IMSA presence.
United Autosports USA Career Wins
United Autosports’ verified endurance victories span Le Mans LMP2 successes, an FIA World Endurance Championship title in LMP2, European Le Mans Series championships and class wins at marquee endurance races, along with multiple LMP3 titles in ELMS. The team’s expansion into IMSA has added further class wins, poles and podiums to its international record.
24 Hours of Le Mans and WEC Highlights
United Autosports won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020 and again in 2024, achievements that anchor the team’s global reputation in prototype endurance racing. The 2020 Le Mans win accompanied the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title and the European Le Mans Series crown, a rare triple that underscored the team’s competitive peak that season.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Beyond Le Mans and WEC success, United Autosports captured the European Le Mans Series championship in 2020, multiple ELMS LMP3 titles through 2020 and race victories across Asian Le Mans Series and IMSA events. The team’s historic racing activities also produced prominent class performances at classic events and festivals internationally.
United Autosports USA Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
United Autosports is co-owned by Zak Brown and Richard Dean, who remain central figures in the team’s leadership and direction. The organization has built allied ownership and partnerships over time, including a historical shareholding that supported ventures such as Walkinshaw Andretti United in Australia and later manufacturer collaboration with McLaren Automotive.
Personal Life
As a professional racing organisation, United Autosports USA focuses on team operations, driver recruitment and technical partnerships; public personal details about individual executives beyond ownership are not presented here. The team’s credibility rests on its competitive record and motorsport partnerships rather than on individual private matters.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw United Autosports achieve a 24 Hours of Daytona victory and multiple IMSA class wins and podiums, while also scoring podiums in FIA World Endurance Championship rounds. In the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series the team continued to register competitive results across LMP2 and LMGT3 entries, reinforcing its multi-series endurance strategy.
During 2025 the team adjusted its WEC commitments amid manufacturer programme changes; McLaren’s evolving priorities affected LMGT3 alignments and resulted in shifts to partner arrangements. United Autosports retained a strong North American focus, leveraging its Mooresville base to support IMSA campaigns and continuing historic racing operations and driver development into the future.