Former DTM driver Fabio Scherer will join United Autosports for the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Scherer will partner reigning champions Filipe Albuquerque and Phil Hanson behind the wheel of its ORECA 07-Gibson, with which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and LMP2 title in 2020.
The Swiss driver previously raced in Formula 3 as part of the Sauber Junior Team and made his DTM debut with Team WRT in 2020, during the last year of DTM’s Class One era.
“I am very happy to be part of the United Autosports team for 2021,” Scherer said. “To team up with the reigning champions and Le Mans winners Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque is a great opportunity and another big step in my career.
“The World Endurance Championship is one of the best known and competitive championships out there. The Le Mans 24 Hours will be the highlight of my racing career so far.
“To be able to race such iconic race tracks next to Le Mans, like Sebring, Spa, Fuji, Monza and Bahrain is a great chance to prove myself in endurance racing.”
“I am already counting down the days until the season opener in March. At this point, I want to say thank you to my sponsors and all those who supported me in the recent days. It seems like Christmas came one week earlier for me this year.”
Scherer effectively replaces Paul di Resta as Hanson, who will be given a Gold driver rating in 2021, reunites with Filipe Albuquerque.
“I am delighted to welcome Fabio to the team alongside our double LMP2 champions and Le Mans winners Phil and Filipe,” team co-owner Zak Brown said about his new signing. “I’m sure he will fit into the team well and they will have a good year in the FIA WEC.”
Hanson, 21, has been racing with United Autosports since 2018 and has won multiple championships along the way, including both the WEC and ELMS titles in 2020.
“Returning to United Autosports was always the plan for next year given the success we have had together this year, winning both the WEC and ELMS championships and of course Le Mans,” Hanson said. “It sets the bar very high for 2021, but I have confidence in the team and I am excited to start working with Filipe again and welcoming our new team mate Fabio as well.”
Albuquerque, meanwhile, will combine his WEC programme with United Autosports with a full-season drive in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship with Wayne Taylor Racing.
“Back in 2017 when I first met Zak and Richard in Daytona, I never thought I was signing for a team that I would come to love so much and that would mean so much to me and my career,” said Albuquerque. “And now we are going into 2021 for another World Championship.
‘It makes sense to continue together with United and Phil. It was one of my priorities to race with them again and having Fabio on board will be great. I’m looking forward to racing with him and I think we have a great team to win.
“I’m just super happy to be with United for my fifth season. They are becoming one of the teams I’ve been with the longest in my career. I cannot thank Richard and Zak enough for having me on board.”
“We are delighted to have Phil and Filipe with us once again,” concluded team owner Richard Dean. “They are very much part of the United family. They have both shown what they are capable of by winning the World Endurance Championship, Le Mans and the ELMS together last season and it is an exciting challenge for us to attempt to retain our titles in 2021.”
“I’m also delighted to welcome Fabio to the team. His F3 and DTM experience will help him adapt to sports cars and although it will be his first-time racing in the WEC, I’m sure he will settle into the team and get up to speed quickly to help us defend our FIA WEC LMP2 title.”
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