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Double victory for United Autosports with the #22 Ligier JS P2 and the #2 Ligier JS P3 and victory for ARC Bratislava in LM P2 AM at Buriram

11-12 January 2019: Buriram 4 Hours on the Chang International circuit in Thailand, third and second-last round of the Asian Le Mans Series - 14 Ligiers, 6 Ligier JS P2s and 8 Ligier JS P3s. High temperatures and ferocious competition! Double victory for United Autosports in LM P2 and LM P3 with the #22 Ligier JS P2 driven by Phil Hanson and Paul di Resta clinching the outright win and the #2 Ligier JS P3 in the hands of Chris Buncombe, Garett Grist and Wayne Boyd finishing in first place in LM P3. ARC Bratislava came home first in the LM P2 AM category with the #4 Ligier JS P2 of Miro Konopka, Ling Kang and Darren Burke.

Saturday, 11:45 - Buriram. On the first row, the #24 Ligier JS P2 entered by Algarve Pro Racing with Ate Dirk De Jong at the wheel. Alongside him was Phil Hanson in the #22 Ligier JS P2 run by United Autosports. The #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2, which posted the third-quickest time in LM P2 and was fastest in the LM P2 AM category, was on row 2. In LM P3, the #2 Ligier JS P3 entered by United Autosports topped the time sheets and started from pole in the category.

After a flying start the #24 and #25 Ligier JS P2s took the lead with their bronze drivers at the wheel. In third place was the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 followed by the #65 Ligier JS P3 run by Viper Niza Racing in the hands of Nigel Moore. After three laps Phil Hanson snatched the lead in the #22 United Autosports Ligier. The #65 Ligier JS P3 entered by Viper Niza Racing suffered a puncture. Battling for fourth were the #23 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 and the #35 Ligier JS P2 of Panis Barthez Compétition.

Leading the LM P3 category was the #3 Ligier JS P3 run by United Autosports driven by Matthew Bell followed by its sister car the #2 Ligier JS P3 in the hands of Garett Grist and the #13 Ligier JS P3 entered by Inter Europol Competition with Jakub Smiechowski in the driver's seat. Stephane Kox in the #50 Ligier JS P3 entered by the 100% women's team R24 made a great start. After being in seventh place on the grid she was fighting her way to the front and was locked in battle for fourth place with the #79 Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3 driven by Antony Wells.

After almost 20 minutes racing the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 of Jean-Baptiste Lahaye went into third. The #79 Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3 took back fourth place from the #50 R24 Ligier JS P3.

After 30 minutes, the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 was still in the lead. The #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 moved up into second followed by the Ligier JS P2s #24 and #25 entered by Algarve Pro Racing. The #3 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 still held sway in LM P3. Both the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 and the #25 JS P2 run by Algarve Pro Racing suffered drive-through penalties.

With 42 minutes gone the first round of refuelling stops began. The #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 in second place stopped at its pit. The two Ligier JS P2s entered by United Autosports were running one, two closely followed by the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2. Pit stops followed one another in quick succession!

After 1h20mn racing the #23 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 was hit with a drive-through penalty. Still in the lead was the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 driven by Phil Hanson followed by Harrison Newey in the #24 Algarve Pro Racing JS P2 and Jean-Baptiste Lahaye in the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2. Fourth place was filled by the #23 Ligier JS P2 run by United Autosports with Salih Yoluc at the wheel in front of the #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2 of Ling Kang.

In LM P3, the #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 of Chris Buncombe now led the dance from the #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 of Jakub Smiechowski who had just slipped past James McGuire in the #3 United Autosports Ligier JS P3. In third place was the Ligier JS P3, #79 run by Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing in the hands of Colin Noble.

After 1h30mn racing came the first yellow flag caused by an off-course excursion by an Aston Martin. Some teams took advantage of this to refuel.

The #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 in the hands of Smiechowski passed the #2 Ligier JS P3 run by United Autosports with Buncombe at the wheel and took the category lead, but the Englishman soon got back in front and the battle between the two cars continued until the #2 Ligier JS P3 was given a drive-through penalty for not respecting the racing line during an overtaking manoeuvre.

With more than two hours gone Ligier JS P2s filled the first three places with #22 entered by United Autosports in the lead followed by #24 run by Algarve Pro Racing and the Panis Barthez Compétition#35. In LM P3 the #13 run by Inter Europol Compétition was ahead of the #2 United Autosports car and #79 of Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing.

The #13 Ligier JS P3 run by Inter Europol Competition came in to repair a piece of bodywork and lost the category lead to the #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3, which regained first place in LM P3 with 47 seconds in hand.

More refuelling stops and driver changes for the LM P2 teams. The #23 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 stopped for a check and rejoined in last place in LM P2.

One hour 30m racing to go. The #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2 spun losing 20 seconds. It was now 55 seconds adrift of the leader, the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2.

With just under 1h to go the teams began their final refuelling stops.

45 minutes to go, change of drivers for the leading car. Phil Hanson took over the wheel of the #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 and held onto the lead. It was followed by the #24 Ligier JS P2 of Algarve Pro Racing two laps behind.

Only 30-minutes racing left. In third was the #35 Panis Barthez Compétition JS P2, 58,574s further back. In LM P3, the #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 was sill in front pursued by the #13 run by Inter Europol Competition and the #79 from the Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing squad.

With fewer than 2 minutes to go to the chequered flag the #22 Ligier JS P2 stopped for quick fuel splash and went on to cross the line clinching victory! Into second came the #24 Ligier JS P2 entered by Algarve Pro Racing. The #35 Panis Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 completed the top 3. The #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2 finished fourth winning the LM P2 AM category. The #2 Ligier JS P3 run by United Autosports emerged victorious in front of the #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 and the #79 Ligier run by Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing.

LM P2 results:

  1. #22 United Autosports Ligier JS P2 – Phil Hanson/Paul di Resta
  2. #24 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2– Andrea Pizzitola/Harrison Newey/Ate Dirk de Jong
  3. #35 Panis Barthez Compétion Ligier JS P2 - Matthieu Lahaye/Jean-Baptiste Lahaye/François Hériau
  4. #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2– Miro Konopka/Ling Kang/Darren Burke
  5. #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2– Mark Patterson/Anders Fjordbach/Christopher McMurry
  6. #23 United Austoports Ligier JS P2– Guy Cosmo/Patrick Byrne/Salih Yoluc

LM P2 AM results:

  1. #4 ARC Bratislava Ligier JS P2– Miro Konopka/Ling Kang/Darren Burke
  2. #25 Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JS P2– Mark Patterson/Anders Fjordbach/Christopher McMurry
  3. #23 United Austoports Ligier JS P2 – Guy Cosmo/Patrick Byrne/Salih Yoluc

LM P3 results:

  1. #2 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 – Chris Buncombe/Garett Grist/Wayne Boyd
  2. #13 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 – Jakub Smiechowski/Martin Hippe
  3. #79 Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3 – Antony Wells/Colin Noble
  4. #7 Ecurie Ecosse/Nielsen Racing Ligier JS P3 – Christian Olsen/Nick Adcock
  5. #3 United Autosports Ligier JS P3– James McGuire/Matthew Bell/Kay van Berlo
  6. #36 Eurasia Motorsport Ligier JS P3 – Nobuya Yamanaka/Aidan Read
  7. #50 R24 Ligier JS P3 – Marie Iwaoka/Stephane Kox
  8. #65 Viper Niza Racing Ligier JS P3 – Douglas Khoo/Nigel Moore

Rendezvous on 22-24 February at Sepang for the Asian Le Mans Series last round.

Credit Photo: DPPI Images