Cottingham and Baud complete United Autosports LMGT3 line-up
United Autosports has completed its driver line-up for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship, with Grégoire Saucy set to be partnered in the #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo by returning team-mate James Cottingham and new recruit Sébastien Baud.
Cottingham, Saucy and Nicolas Costa combined to score a trio of top four finishes in the inaugural season of FIA WEC’s LMGT3 division last year, with the Briton – who celebrates his 41st birthday today – placing inside the top five in the Hyperpole session on four occasions and helping to secure an all-United front row lockout for the Bahrain finale. Cottingham is aiming to build upon that early promise in his sophomore campaign in the series.
“I’m super-excited to come back with United Autosports and McLaren for another crack at FIA WEC,” enthused the 2023 British GT Championship runner-up, the FIA Bronze-graded driver in the #59 crew. “We had a strong season last year, just unfortunately without any podiums or wins.
“However, we were only 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 confident that United Autosports and McLaren are going to deliver some very exciting results in 2025.”
Frenchman Baud arrives at the team from TF Sport, with whom he reached the rostrum at the end of his FIA WEC rookie season in Bahrain last November and won the Goodyear Wingfoot Award at Imola for achieving the fastest LMGT3 stint average during the race. Prior to that, the 24-year-old contested the GT4 European Series and GT World Challenge Europe – narrowly missing out on the Endurance Cup crown in the latter’s Bronze Cup category in 2023.
“I’m very proud to join United Autosports – a major motorsport team with a wealth of experience – and McLaren Automotive for my second year in the FIA World Endurance Championship,” remarked Baud, the #59 car’s ‘Silver’ driver.
“With a year already spent discovering this fabulous championship at the highest level of motorsport, I’m ready to give my all for the team and my team-mates. I’m really looking forward to the new season starting. Thank you to United Autosports, McLaren Automotive and all the people behind this project.”
“It’s great to have James on-board for another season and to welcome Sébastien to the team,” echoed United Autosports CEO, Richard Dean. “The #59 crew came so close to the podium last year, proving themselves as real LMGT3 contenders. In 2025, with the return of James and Grégoire, the addition of Séb and everybody’s continued hard work, I have every confidence that we will see them on the podium, which is where they deserve to be.”
Baud, Cottingham and Saucy will be joined in the sister #95 car by the already announced Marino Sato, Sean Gelael and Darren Leung. There is exactly one month to go until the campaign kicks off with the traditional ‘Prologue’ group test in Qatar, followed by the curtain-raising encounter at the same circuit a week later.
