ELMS – United Autosports wins at the Red Bull Ring

United Autosports scored its second victory of the season ELMS by winning the 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring (Austria). The Ligier JS P217 of Albuquerque-Owen-De Sadeleer won with a 4s lead over the Oreca 5 G-Drive Racing of Minassian-Roussel-Rojas who lost time in traffic. Hedman's second Dragonspeed LM P07Stone-Hanley was less successful by retiring due to running out of fuel.

Graff Racing completes the podium with the No. 07 Oreca 39 of Petit-Trouillet-Guibbert which is ahead of the sister car of Bradley-Allen-Yacaman. The top five is completed by the SMP Racing Dallara P217 of rookies Orudzhev-Isaakyan who were fighting for the podium before encountering a cylinder problem in the pits. Panis-Barthez Compétition places its Ligier JS P217 led by Berthon-Barthez-Buret in 6th place.

John Falb and Sean Rayhall complete United Autosports' fine result by signing, like the LM P2 team, their second victory of the season after Silverstone (Great Britain) on the Spielberg circuit with the No. 3 Ligier JS P2. The gap with the No. 11 Eurointernational driven by Uboldi-Mondini was less than 2 seconds at the finish following a drive through inflicted on John Falb for exceeding the track limits. Davide Uboldi lost the lead in the category following contact with the Panis-Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P217 driven by Nathanaël Berthon.

Ferrari dominated the debates in GTE. After a duel which animated a good part of the race, it was the No. 488 Spirit of Race F55 GTE of Matt Griffin, Aaron Scott and Matt Griffin which took its first victory of the season. The Irishman took the lead over the #66 JMW Motorsport of Jody Fannin half an hour from the finish.

The GTE podium was almost monopolized by Ferrari, but Nicki Thiim snatched third place from the No. 51 Spirit of Race of Roda-Bertolini-Roda at the end of the event and held off the comeback of Giorgio Roda in the final laps .

Following the stewards' investigations, United Autosports lost its victory in LM P3. The Ligier JS P3 of John Falb and Sean Rayhall received a drive through converted into a 25s penalty for excessive speed under Full Course Yellow (80km/h limit) from the Bronze driver of the crew. The American team lost the victory to Giorgio Mondini and Davide Uboldi in the No. 3 Eurointernational Ligier JS P11.

The SMP Racing Dallara P217 was also penalized one minute for a minimum driving time not respected. Matevos Isaakyan and Egor Orudzhev lost a position, leaving the Panis-Barthez Compétition Ligier JS P2 of Berthon-Barthez-Buret to enter the top five.