Nicolas Costa of the #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO suggests that United Autosports were unlucky with the red flag timing as it set them out of podium contention by the end of the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
He said to Motorsport Week: “So we – us and [the] Iron Dames – we were both on the same strategy [and] actually kind of on the back foot, because we were a bit unlucky with the red flag timing.
“And that meant that were always three laps short on fuel anyway, there was nothing we could do.
“We tried to save a bit of fuel, but the distance was just too big for it to compensate with no FCY [full course yellow] or safety car.
“So in the end they never came and both of us had to beat it. Basically that’s just luck, nothing we can do.
“One part of me obviously wants the fans to see the full six hours that they came here to see, and that’s the most important thing.
“We’re here for them, they’re the one that supports us.
“But on the other hand, we had a podium guaranteed if the race didn’t restart – so it’s hot and cold, you know?”
The third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship featured a significant red flag disruption for 1-hour and 44-minutes, the duration of which was added on to the race restart.
United’s #59 was fighting for the win against the pole-sitting #85 Iron Dames Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 EVO2, which had confidently built a gap at the front of the LMGT3 class despite both safety car and red flag disruptions.
At the start, after being promoted from fifth to fourth position, driver James Cottingham begun the race in positive terms as he entered what became a hard-fought second position, with Sarah Bovy and her #85 teammates extending the lead gap up to 40 seconds.
At the time of the red flag, the #59 was in third as the other #95 retired due to suspected gearbox issues.
Towards the closing stages of the race, driver Gregoire Saucy who drove the final stint and pitted, as did the Iron Dames’ Michelle Gatting for the same reason.
Both cars were impacted by the red flag as they lacked the fuel capacity to retain their place at the front despite all efforts, allowing Manthey to propel the #92 Porsche 911 up to formulate a 1-2, as the #85 finished fourth and the #59 in fifth at the end.
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