United Autosports ensured they left Spa-Francorchamps with both prototype victories as the #2 entry of Scott Andrews and John Falb took LMP3 honours, complimenting the triumph of Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque in LMP2.
The race was held in extremely difficult conditions, with officials curtailing the event at just over half distance as the weather and visibility deteriorated further, and the #2 found itself in the lead thanks to some amazing driving by Andrews.
The twenty-eight-year-old Australian was only called into the line-up at the last minute when regular driver Sean Rayhall was declared unfit to drive due to illness, and he admitted it was a crazy way to be introduced to the series, the team and the circuit!
“First time with United, ELMS and at Spa,” said Andrews. “I had very little prep time having jumped on the plane from the States when Sean was taken ill, and it took me longer to get my head around the car than I’d envisaged but felt I put together a good lap in qualifying.
“My opening stints in the race were the hardest stints I’ve ever done. I couldn’t see anything. It was crazy. I was sideways on the straight in sixth gear. That said, I’m privileged to have been here this weekend and couldn’t ask for anything more. My sincere thanks to United for the opportunity.”
Falb was full of praise for his stand-in team-mate, and when he got on board the Ligier, he found out at first hand just how difficult conditions were and just how awesome a job the young Australian did.
“It was a crazy race. Scott nailed it, driving the wheels off the Ligier,” said Falb. “I then got to know first-hand just how treacherous it was out there when I took over from him.
“I couldn’t see much of anything. The visibility was terrible. Our engineer Gary made a great strategic call and it’s awesome to climb the top step of the podium again.”
