James Cottingham Returns to United Autosports for WEC 2025 Season

DK Engineering’s Managing Director and 2023 British GT Vice-Champion, James Cottingham, is set to embark on a full-season campaign in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with United Autosports and McLaren. He will once again take the wheel of the #59 McLaren LMGT3 EVO as the season kicks off next week. For the new season, Cottingham is reunited with Gregoire Saucy and joined by WEC podium finisher Sébastien Baud, making for a formidable driver lineup.

Returning driver Cottingham had a solid debut season in the WEC in 2024, securing four top-5 Hyperpole results including a front-row start in Bahrain, and three fourth-place finishes (Spa, Sao Paulo and COTA) with United Autosports and McLaren Automotive - narrowly missing out on a deserved first WEC podium.

“I am super excited to come back with United Autosports and McLaren for another crack at the WEC,” says Cottingham, Managing Director of DK Engineering. “We had a strong season last year … just unfortunately without any podiums or wins. However, we were just getting started and this year we’re going to hit the ground running. We’ve got a super strong line-up in both cars, and I’m very confident that United Autosports and McLaren are going to deliver some very exciting results in 2025.”

It is great to have James onboard for another season and to welcome Sebastien [Baud] to the team,” says Richard Dean, United Autosports CEO. “The #59 crew came so close to the podium last year … they proved themselves as real LMGT3 contenders. In 2025, with the return of James and Gregoire, the addition of Seb and the continued hard work of the team, I have every confidence that we will see them on the podium, which is where they deserve to be."

“It is a very special year to be racing with McLaren in the WEC,” adds Dean, “and our 2025 livery celebrates that. This season is about building on strong foundations, winning races and going for the championship title, and we are doing that in a car that is proudly, unmistakably McLaren.”

This summer, it will mark 30 years since McLaren won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. To kickstart the momentous season, United Autosports - official racing partner of McLaren Automotive - has created a dynamic new look for the team’s duo of McLaren GT3 EVOs which will contest the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The #59 and #95 LMGT3 contenders align with the distinctive papaya identity of McLaren Racing’s Formula 1, IndyCar and Formula E teams, while also emphasising the unique aerodynamic design of the McLaren GT3 EVO.

The WEC Official Prologue is just over one week away, with the first test session taking place on Friday 21st February at Lusail International Circuit - followed by the opening race of the season, the Qatar 1812Km, on Friday 28th February.

In the mean time, you can catch up on how the season panned out last year for James, his team mates and the United Autosports McLaren below:

Round 1 : Qatar

Round 2 : Imola

Round 3 : Spa Francorchamps

Round 4 : Le Mans 24h

Round 5 : Sao Paolo

Round 6 : Texas

Round 7 : Fuji

Round 8 : Bahrain