(L to R) Daniel Goldburg, Marino Sato and Paul Di Resta – Credit: United Autosports
United Autosports has announced Dan Goldburg, Marino Sato, and Paul Di Resta as teammates in one of their two Oreca 07 LMP2s for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
As the WEC ends the full season running of the LMP2 class, the Leeds-based team are returning to IMSA with two Oreca 07-Gibsons.
In their other car, only Alex Quinn (full-season driver) and Ben Keating (endurance driver) have been confirmed with one other full-season driver still to be announced.
Sato will be the endurance driver as Di Resta and Goldburg will contest the full seven-round IMSA LMP2 campaign.
“For our team’s first full season in IMSA, we find ourselves in a pretty strong place with our driver signings,” said United Autosports CEO, Richard Dean.
“Dan, Marino and Paul will be super competitive from the outset and are all here to challenge for wins.
“We now have both cars that will be front runners and that’s a great place to be from a data and development position.
“We have a new base in the Jr III facility we can now call our USA home in Charlotte NC.
“It’s been a busy few months putting our IMSA programme together and I couldn’t be happier with where we are today.”
Goldburg has competed in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge racing LMP3 cars since 2020, winning the rounds at Daytona and the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, in addition to a podium finish at Sebring earlier this year.
“I am thrilled to earn the opportunity to drive for United Autosports in WeatherTech LMP2 in 2024,” he said ahead of what will be his debut LMP2 season.
“I began talking to Richard [Dean] early this year and I’m ecstatic for it to all come together and finally announce our intentions.”
Goldburg continued: “For my first full season in LMP2, I can’t ask for a better possible setup.
“The United Autosports operation is second to none and I know they will help me get up to speed quickly.
“Richard helped pair me with a killer line-up… along with Marino and Paul, I think we’re really ticking all the boxes.
“We’re going to come out swinging in Daytona.”
Paul Di Resta drives in the #93 Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar in the WEC – Photo Copyright 2023 FIA WEC / FocusPackMedia – Gabi Tomescu
Di Resta will partner IMSA debutant and endurance driver Sato, as the Scotsman is highly familiar with United Autosports’ LMP2 efforts elsewhere, and has been part of the Peugeot World Endurance Championship efforts since their programme’s inception.
“We mean business, we’re going there to tackle the championship and I want to be part of it,” added di Resta.
“It’s going to be a good move for Dan Goldburg, stepping up to LMP2, and Marino Sato has integrated with the team this year in the ELMS paddock so I think it should make for a good line-up.
I’m excited to get started, combining this new venture with my WEC commitments.
“Thanks to Peugeot for giving me the opportunity to join the United team… now, let’s see what we can do.”
Having based much of his career in the single-seater discipline, Marino Sato debuted into sportscars with United’s efforts in the European Le Mans Series earlier this year, most recently attaining his first win at Aragon with teammates Olly Jarvis and Phil Hanson.
“I’m grateful to continue with United Autosports for a second season – thank you to the team for their trust in me,” commented Marino Sato.
“This will be my second season in sportscars, and my first in the US… I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“I’ve always wanted to race in America so it’s really exciting.”
Keyword: Goldburg, Sato, Di Resta set for 2024 United Autosports IMSA campaign