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GT: 10 Questions With Zak Brown
SPEED.com catches up with United Autosports co-founder and CEO Zak Brown to get an update on the team’s 2012 plans and beyond...
John Dagys  |  Posted January 17, 2012   Abu Dhabi (UAE)
United Autosports co-founder and CEO Zak Brown will focus his driving efforts around their new McLaren MP4-12C program in the Blancpain Endurance Series. (Photo: John Dagys)


United Autosports proved to be one of the busiest teams in 2011, with programs on three continents and in multiple series around the world. This year, the Anglo-American squad kicked off its season in the Middle East at the 24 Hours of Dubai, the first of three endurance races over the next month and a half.

SPEED.com caught up with team co-founder and CEO Zak Brown to get his thoughts on the start of United Autosports’ third season and what could lie ahead over the course of 2012. It’s all part of the latest installment of “10 Questions.”

DAGYS: How did this Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bathurst endurance program come together?

BROWN: We don't have our McLarens yet, and we wanted to run the start of the year. We sold one Audi but we still have two, so we thought lets go racing. Dubai was a race we wanted to do. Abu Dhabi is obviously new, but a fantastic track. Bathurst will be great as well.

DAGYS: Having had an ambitious 2011 program, which included the FIA GT3 European Championship, GRAND-AM, British GT, the 24 Hours of Spa, Macau and the Petit Le Mans, did you change your approach heading into this year?

BROWN: I think we did too much last year with the same equipment. If you got into a crash, it all of a sudden became a stressful the next weekend. So it’s nice to have the Audis set aside where it won’t disrupt the McLaren program, which we want to do right. The idea is that if we want to do any extra-circular activities, let's not stress the Blancpain program and run the Audis.

DAGYS: The first driver lineup for the team’s Blancpain Endurance Series program was announced last week, which consists of yourself, Mark Blundell and Mark Patterson. When can we expect to hear confirmation of the second car?

BROWN: It's going to be an all-pro lineup. We want to win in that and in the Pro-Am category as well. Matt Bell will be sticking around with us, for sure. Then we'll have two other studs. We're waiting for one other signature to happen then I think we'll announce pretty quickly.

DAGYS: Have you set any goals for your first year in Blancpain?

BROWN: Win races and win the championship. We should have the lineups in the two categories and the equipment to do that. I think it's going to be the toughest sports car championship in the world.

And considering the cars and the depth of the field, it's not going to be easy. But looking at the equipment we'll have, the testing we're going to do, the driver lineups we'll have, especially in the Pro car.

DAGYS: Do you think the Blancpain Endurance Series is a better value compared to the FIA GT3 European Championship?

BROWN: I like endurance racing and GT3 Europe is not that. On that basis, you get more time in the car, which I like that format more.

DAGYS: In addition to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bathurst and Spa, does the team have any other endurance races lined up for this year?

BROWN: We'd like to do the Sepang 12-hour in early September. Outside of the Blancpain Endurance Series, our goal is to do as much racing as we can in the big enduros. The chances of that happening are very good. We’re working on lining up drivers but it will probably be with only one Audi.

DAGYS: Is a return to the British GT Championship still in the works?

BROWN: It's undecided. We know that we'll enter Spa with one Audi [in addition to the two McLarens] and Sepang. We'll want to keep one of the Audis to do Macau. We might show up and do some British rounds with the McLaren, but right now we don't have anything to confirm yet.

DAGYS: Having made your LMP2 debut at last year’s Petit Le Mans, is there anything confirmed on the prototype side for 2012 yet?

BROWN: Maybe we'll do what we did last year again [in cooperation with DAMS] but we want to focus on Blancpain. We won’t be doing Le Mans this year, as there’s no way I’d go to Le Mans without being prepared [Le Mans Test Day clashes with Blancpain round].

It’s easy to get enthusiastic. If we were to do something on a limited basis for a couple of races, we’d probably partner with DAMS again. We’re looking to maybe do Petit Le Mans and perhaps China at the end of the year.

DAGYS: Do you have more long-term aspirations on the prototype side?

BROWN: yes, long-term, I’d want United to run the car and we're already starting to think about '13. Having a LMP2 and McLaren GT team would be the dream scenario. It’s definitely the goal and we’d want to do [the prototype program] with a manufacturer by having a close relationship with someone. That's still the goal and is very achievable.

DAGYS: Is there anything else in the works at United Autosports?

BROWN: We're working on doing more historic racing. I think we're maybe going to start doing more of that in Europe. I'd like to see United get more involved in historic racing. We'll do Monaco as well as the Monterey Historics. I just bought James Hunt's 1977.

A lot of our drivers have historic cars, like Roger Wills, who is big into that as well. So I think that's an additional business there. Because of the "Legends" drivers we have, we can add some good value to the whole scene by bringing those guys out. The Blundell’s, the Brundle’s, the Johansson’s... That's something I think we'll be stepping up for this year.

John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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