James Cottingham to drive United Autosports McLaren in WEC

Multi-race winning GT3 driver and 2023 British GT vice-champion James Cottingham will step onto the world stage in 2024, racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with McLaren Automotive and United Autosports.

“I’m super excited to be working with McLaren Automotive, an iconic British manufacturer, and United Autosports, one of the highest achieving teams at Le Mans in recent years,” says Cottingham. “It has been a dream of mine since I was a boy to race at Le Mans and compete in a World Championship and after only two and a half years of racing in modern motorsport, I didn’t think I would get this opportunity.” 

While 40-year-old Briton Cottingham has only been racing GTs since 2021 - having started his racing career on the historic circuit – he has quickly made an impression. In the 2023 British GT Championship, he celebrated three wins (Oulton Park, Donington Park and Algarve International Circuit) and a further two podiums (Snetterton and Brands Hatch), putting him at a 56% podium success rate in the ultra-competitive nine-round series, and wrapping up the season with the title of Vice-Champion.

"James is another strong addition to our 2024 WEC line up,” says Richard Dean, United Autosports CEO. “He has captured attention with his achievements in British GT - a familiar series for United Autosports - and now we are looking forward to his WEC debut in the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo. The whole team is working incredibly hard to make our first race in Qatar a success. We are really looking forward to it.”

Bronze-graded Cottingham, who is kicking off the 2024 season racing the McLaren 720S GT3 in the Asian Le Mans Series, will team up with FIA Formula 3 podium placer Gregoire Saucy in the #59 LMGT3 entry [read more] and one other driver who will be announced imminently.

“With everything I’ve done over the last two years including British GT, the Gulf 12 Hours, Spa 24 Hours and Dubai 24 Hours, I’m ready for this new challenge,” says Cottingham. “I really enjoy driving the McLaren and am totally dedicated to the FIA World Endurance Championship this year.”