Tag: Sebastien Baud

Cottingham and Baud round out United Autosports LMGT3 line-up

United Autosports has revealed the final two drivers for its 2025 FIA WEC LMGT3 campaign with McLaren. The team has re-signed James Cottingham for a second season and attracted Sebastien Baud from TF Sport’s Corvette effort to drive its No. 59 LMGT3 …

United Autosports has revealed the final two drivers for its 2025 FIA WEC LMGT3 campaign with McLaren. The team has re-signed James Cottingham for a second season and attracted Sebastien Baud from TF Sport’s Corvette effort to drive its No. 59 LMGT3 EVO.

Cottingham looks to build on his debut WEC campaign this season, after securing four top-five Hyperpole results including a front-row start in Bahrain, and three fourth-place race finishes (Spa, Sao Paulo and COTA) in 2024.

“I am super excited to come back with United Autosports and McLaren for another crack at the WEC,” said the 41-year-old Briton. “We had a strong season last year … just unfortunately without any podiums or wins. However, we were just getting started and this year we’re going to hit the ground running.

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“We’ve got a super strong lineup in both cars, and I’m very confident that United Autosports and McLaren are going to deliver some very exciting results in 2025.”

Silver-graded Frenchman Baud meanwhile, is a new addition to the team, and will compete in the seat previously filled by Brazillian racer Nicolas Costa.

During the 2024 season, he won the Goodyear Wingfoot award at Imola and finished on the podium in the final race of the season in Bahrain.

“I am very proud to join United Autosports,” added Baud, “a major motorsport team with a wealth of experience, and McLaren Automotive for my second year in the World Endurance Championship. With one year already discovering this fabulous championship at the highest level of motorsport, I am ready to give my all for this team and my teammates.

“I am really looking forward to this new season starting. Thank you to the United Autosports team, McLaren Automotive and all the people behind this fabulous project.”

The duo will share the No. 59 with Gregoire Saucy, while Darren Leung, Sean Gelael and Marino Sato are set to compete in the sister No. 95 car.

“It is great to have James [Cottingham] onboard for another season and to welcome Sébastien [Baud] to the team,” Richard Dean, United Autosports CEO, said

“The No. 59 crew came so close to the podium last year … they proved themselves as real LMGT3 contenders. In 2025, with the return of James and Gregoire, the addition of Seb and the continued hard work of the team, I have every confidence that we will see them on the podium, which is where they deserve to be.”

Corvette WEC lineup completed by Koizumi, Baud, and Juncadella

Corvette customer team TF Sport has now signed all six drivers for its 2024 FIA WEC LMGT3 campaign, following the news today that Hiroshi Koizumi, Sébastien Baud and Daniel Juncadella will drive its No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R. The new-look trio …

Corvette customer team TF Sport has now signed all six drivers for its 2024 FIA WEC LMGT3 campaign, following the news today that Hiroshi Koizumi, Sébastien Baud and Daniel Juncadella will drive its No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

The new-look trio completes the British team’s LMGT3 line-up, after the team revealed that Charlie Eastwood, Rui Andrade, and Tom Van Rompuy will drive the No. 81 sister car earlier this month.

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Juncadella leads the line in the No. 82. The newly-signed Corvette factory driver has been supplied to TF for what will be his first WEC season.

The 2011 Macau Grand Prix winner brings a wealth of GT3 experience to the team for his first WEC campaign, including a Rolex 24 Hours GTD class win and a World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup title. He also has seven DTM seasons under his belt between 2013 and 2021.

“It’s going to be an exciting season: it will be the first opportunity to race in the FIA WEC and to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which makes it all so special. New team, new brand, new car, new teammates, everything is a new challenge and it’s really exciting.

“I am stoked to get to know the team well, to get to know Hiroshi during testing at the start of the season and also Seb, who I already know a little bit. I’m very keen to team up with them and get to work from day one: I hope we will have a strong season!”

Frenchman Baud is also new to the FIA WEC, and joins the LMGT3 class fresh from a World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup campaign with the Haupt Racing Team, in which he finished second in the Bronze Cup class standings.

“I am so excited to know that I am making a childhood dream come true,” he said. “It is an honour to join a successful team like TF Sport in the WEC. I will be driving a Corvette Z06 GT3.R, a car that marked my inspiration in the 24 Hours of Le Mans! I am looking forward to work with my more experienced teammates, from whom I will be able to learn even more, especially from Dani. Thanks to the team for the trust!”

Finally, Koizumi is ready for a full season with TF Sport after getting a taste of life in the FIA WEC paddock last year at the 6 Hours of Fuji with AF Corse in GTE Am. Koizumi also has recent experience in the Le Mans Cup’s GT3 class.

“I am really proud to work with such experienced drivers like Daniel and Sébastien,” Koizumi said. “I am looking forward to teaming up with Daniel Juncadella, winner of Macau and a successful DTM driver: it will definitely be a new opportunity for me. We will do our best to be the number one driver package in the GT3 class.”