Di Resta commits to WEC and Le Mans 04 | 03 | 2019
SCOT PAUL DI RESTA will contest the full World Endurance Championship in 2019/20 with the United Autosports squad in LMP2. The ex-Force India and Williams Formula 1 driver will also race in this year’s Le Mans 24-Hours with the team. (Related: Paul di Resta seals Asian LMP2 title)
The 32-year-old from Bathgate will drive the solo United Ligier-Gibson JSP217 LMP2 car in WEC. And having made his debut in the French endurance race last year with United Autosports, he will return to Le Mans on June 15.
The Scot will partner Portuguese racer Filipe Albuquerque, and England’s Phil Hanson, in both WEC and Le Mans. Di Resta and Hanson recently won the Asian Le Mans Series for the team. (Related: Di Resta to lead Aston Martin assault on DTM)
"I'm really happy to be continuing with United Autosports at Le Mans and in the WEC," admitted di Resta, who today, at Jerez in Southern Spain, tested the new Aston Martin Vantage he will also race in this season's DTM.
"I think to continue where we have been with Phil in the Asian Le Mans Series, and bringing the first LMP2 championship to the team, the obvious next step is to move into a world championship.
"It's definitely a challenge I’m up for. We have a little bit of time to prepare for it, but I think United are more than capable of taking it on."
And di Resta’s decision to continue to race with the team was welcomed by United Autosports boss Richard Dean.
“Paul is a quality driver who in many people's eyes could still be doing a great job in F1,” he said. “It’s a sign of how far we have come that we are able to attract drivers of Paul’s quality. And now that he’s such an important team player for United Autosports it made perfect sense to add him to our WEC line-up.
“He works well with Phil and Filipe, so I'm feeling very positive going into our first world championship season."
The FIA World Endurance Championship begins with the official Prologue at Barcelona on July 23-24 , with the first round being held at Silverstone on September 1. The series then visits Japan, China, Bahrain, Brazil, America, Belgium and finishes with the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Related: Paul di Resta storms to Brands Hatch win
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Jim McGill