United Autosports #95 McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO driver Josh Caygill was delighted to finish on the podium at the FIA World Endurance Championship’s 6 Hours of Sao Paulo.
The fifth round of the 2024 FIA WEC saw United Autosports claim their first podium finish since their partnership with McLaren begun alongside the birth of the LMGT3 category.
Furthermore, their sibling entrant – the #59 – finished one lap behind the #95 to finalise a personal best finish of third and fourth places for the team.
“I haven’t stopped smiling … it’s absolutely mega,” said Caygill who achieved the feat with #95 co-drivers Marino Sato and Nico Pino.
“We were fast in every session and fighting to be at the front all weekend.
“I was happy with my two stints in the car.
“I was pushing hard, we had some good racing out there.
“Marino and Nico spend a lot of time with me to make me faster, so thank you to those guys.
“It’s nice to get a result for me personally … but this is for everybody in the team.
“We are all pushing so hard, so it’s amazing when it pays off.
“At this level, it’s such a big deal. There is no easy podium.
“So to get this one … the first for me, the first for United Autosports and McLaren in the new WEC LMGT3 era. I’m buzzing.”
During qualifying, Caygill and Cottingham of the #59 both asserted front-running pace in the LMGT3 category, with only Sarah Bovy of the #85 Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 EVO2 able to threaten the pair by eventually claiming pole position.
In Hyperpole, Caygill secured P3 with a 1:34.860 lap time which was narrowly +0.056 seconds ahead of the #59, although his best qualifying performance was second for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
During the race, the fight for the win was between the two front-row cars, the #85 Lamborghini and the championship-leading #92 Manthey PureRxing Porsche 911 GT3.R and so they did fight with the Porsche taking the upper hand.
The Iron Dames team suffered mechanical misfortune after their car suffered a water pump issue which forced the #85 into the garage. Despite returning to the race, the team was unable to recover in pursuit of a satisfactory result and so they retired from the race.
With the #92 retaining their lead with consistency and a mistake-free drive, United Autosports were able to capitalise on the #85 woes although not without the pace of the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3.
As the Aston Martin comfortably took second, United Autosports claimed third and fourth having been close to the front before at the 6 Hours of Spa although were not able to continue their form, especially impacted by their necessity to refuel after the race restart.
