24h Le Mans
United Autosports pulled off a sparkling LMP2 triumph at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. Between them, Oliver Jarvis, Bijoy Carg and Nolan Siegel completed 297 laps of the circuit, edging out Inter Europol Competition by just 19 seconds. This is the Anglo-American team’s second win at the French endurance classic after their 2020 success.
Extremely tough conditions provided the backdrop to the 92nd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a succession of heavy showers and periods of dry track making race management particularly tricky. United Autosports showed great flexibility in rising to the challenge by implementing an effective race strategy.
Oliver Jarvis, the most experienced racer in the line-up with 13 starts to his name, was the mainstay of the team’s victory. “What a race! It was my 13th Le Mans and none have been as tough!” he exclaimed afterwards. “It was an insane amount of pressure. The track conditions were constantly changing. We had a really solid race, stayed out of trouble and, crucially, stayed on the lead lap.” The 40-year-old British driver’s experience and composure proved vital for his novice teammates.
The win was all the more remarkable in that Bijoy Carg and Nolan Siegel were competing at Le Mans for the very first time. Their performance in the trying conditions was simply outstanding. “To win Le Mans on my first attempt is unbelievable! United Autosports gave us a fast car throughout and prepared us for every condition,” said Carg, stressing the importance of the support and guidance provided by Jarvis throughout race week.
Siegel, meanwhile, underlined his team’s handling of the changing conditions: “It was very interesting driving the car throughout the race in so many different circumstances. We constantly had to adapt, figuring out how hard you can push when you’re on slicks and it starts raining, for example. Coming out of the pit lane on your first lap of a new stint, in different conditions, was quite difficult. I think that the fact that we were able to pull it off in these extremely difficult circumstances makes the achievement even more special.”
United Autosports’ success is not only built on the talent of the team’s drivers, but also on the perfect execution of their battle plan. Tyre selection and strategic decisions were crucial in such unpredictable conditions. “This win wouldn’t have been possible without the engineers and mechanics,” Carg continued. “You need to execute on a lot of setup changes every pit stop, and they did that. I couldn’t be more proud for the team and couldn’t be more happy to win with these guys.”
This win boosts United Autosports’ reputation as one of the most formidable LMP2 teams. The Anglo-American outfit also entered the #23 Oreca 07-Gibson (13th in LMP2) and two McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evos in the new LMGT3 class. Sadly, both were forced to retire.
