Garnet Patterson will return to the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with United Autosports in 2026, continuing alongside Michael Birch and Wayne Boyd in the team’s McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo.
The Australian enters his second ELMS campaign after the trio ended 2025 with second place at the 4 Hours of Portimão. That result reflected the progress that United and its drivers made during a challenging but increasingly competitive first season together.
Now, Patterson believes their continuity can help them begin the new campaign at a considerably higher level. With the same teammates, familiar circuits and a better understanding of the McLaren, the #23 crew will target regular podiums and the LMGT3 championship.
Portimão podium highlights late-season progress
United Autosports endured a difficult opening to its 2025 campaign as Birch adapted to GT3 machinery for the first time. However, the crew gradually improved its understanding of the car and developed a more effective working relationship as the season progressed.
By the second half of the year, Patterson, Birch and Boyd had started to extract more from the McLaren. Their progress eventually produced a runner-up finish at Portimão, giving the trio both a reward for its development and valuable momentum ahead of 2026.
“We had a tricky start to the season, but it was mainly due to it being Michael’s first ever year in a GT3 car, so it was quite a tall order – but as we got to the midway point, we all gelled well. He got stuck into it and we finished out the year quite strong. I think we took a lot of positives out of the last round because that’s where we really all started to understand the car and work well as a team and a driver crew. The result then came at the last round getting on the podium in Portimao was the perfect way to close out the season and showed real progress for us as a crew. So we’ll take that into Barcelona effectively, hopefully starting where we finished off.”
Consequently, the team will approach the Barcelona opener with a stronger foundation than it possessed 12 months earlier. Rather than using the first rounds to establish its working methods, United can immediately build on the lessons and improvements from the end of last season.
Familiar line-up provides valuable continuity
Patterson will race alongside Birch and Boyd for a second consecutive campaign. Therefore, the trio already understands each driver’s preferences, strengths and requirements within a shared endurance racing programme.
That familiarity also extends throughout the wider United Autosports operation. The drivers know the engineering group, while the team has collected a full season of data with the McLaren across every circuit on the unchanged ELMS calendar.
“I think it does give us a decent advantage going into the new season, just because you all know what each other needs and we know what strength and weaknesses the car has now. We know what we need to do to tune that and obviously with all the tracks being exactly the same as last year that really helps as well. So, I’ve got good baseline to start every round and we’re excited to get going.”
As a result, United can begin each weekend with established set-up references instead of relying on initial estimates. Moreover, Patterson and his teammates can focus on refining smaller details that influence tyre management, stint performance and consistency.
That continuity should prove especially important in LMGT3, where teams must balance the individual needs of three drivers while maintaining a competitive car throughout four-hour races.
Barcelona creates an immediate tyre-management challenge
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will host the opening round of the 2026 campaign. Although Patterson knows the venue well, he expects its demanding surface and high tyre degradation to test every LMGT3 entry.
Last season, different set-up approaches created significant variations in pace between the start and end of each stint. Therefore, United must find a compromise that gives its drivers enough initial speed without sacrificing performance as the tyres deteriorate.
“It’s a tricky track, mainly due to the surface and obviously how high the degradation is. We seen last year with different setups on the different cars, there was a massive difference in the delta from start to the end of stint, so from that side, it’s tricky.
“The first lap is the most enjoyable lap around there always, when the tire is good but there’s a lot to take out of that and I actually enjoy that side with the energy and the tire wear, so I quite like it as a whole. I’d say it’s probably my least favourite track out of the whole calendar from a driving point of view, but the last sector is quite fun now that it’s changed with some high-speed corners.”
Although Barcelona does not rank among Patterson’s favourite circuits, its characteristics give him an opportunity to apply his experience and tyre-management skills. In particular, the faster final sector now provides a more flowing challenge after the removal of the previous chicane.
Nevertheless, United must manage the complete stint rather than chase only the fastest early laps. Consistent pace could prove more valuable than outright speed as the race develops.
Stronger field raises the LMGT3 standard
Patterson expects the 2026 LMGT3 grid to improve on the already competitive field that contested the previous season. Several teams have assembled strong line-ups, while the category also includes numerous accomplished Bronze-rated drivers.
Accordingly, every crew will need to execute cleanly across Qualifying, pit stops, driver changes and the race itself. Even minor mistakes could cost several positions in a field where the leading entries often run closely together.
“I think it’s going to be stronger than it was last year. I think there’s a lot of good lineups here now, and a lot of really good bronze drivers – so, I think it’s going to be competitive throughout the whole season.
“Our goal, obviously, is to go for the championship and be fighting for podiums every round and we’ve got to be smart, finish all the races and score points. That’s probably the main goal, is just to be super consistent – it’s probably the one track that’s going to suit us the least, I would say, as far as the McLaren goes. But having said that, we’ve made some good gains over the winter. Hopefully, we’re confident it can be stronger there. So, I guess the goal is really to win every race and be on the podium.”
Patterson has consequently identified consistency as the foundation of United’s title challenge. The crew wants to fight for victories, but it must also finish every race and collect strong points when outright victory remains out of reach.
Furthermore, the team has worked to improve the McLaren during the off-season. Although Patterson expects Barcelona to suit the car less than some other venues, he believes those winter gains can help United challenge more strongly than it did at the same circuit in 2025.
Championship ambitions shape United’s approach
United Autosports will not treat the season as another year of development. Instead, the team intends to convert its late-2025 progress into a sustained LMGT3 title challenge.
Patterson’s pace and experience will play an important role, while Boyd provides further continuity and Birch enters his second season with considerably more knowledge of GT3 racing. Together, the trio can now approach each event with a clearer understanding of how to maximise both the car and its driver rotation.
However, a championship challenge will require more than occasional podiums. United must avoid retirements, penalties and strategic errors while remaining competitive across circuits with very different characteristics.
The Portimão result showed what the crew can achieve when every part of the programme works together. Therefore, Barcelona will reveal whether Patterson, Birch and Boyd can immediately continue from where they finished.
Racing and coaching keep Patterson occupied
Away from his own ELMS programme, Patterson remains heavily involved in driver coaching across Australia, Europe and Asia.
That work keeps him connected to motorsport even when he does not compete himself. Moreover, coaching other drivers can strengthen his communication and analytical skills, both of which remain valuable when working with engineers and teammates.
“I’m generally super busy with racing and coaching, that keeps me busy as a whole back in Australia and in Europe, and even throughout Asia. Otherwise, I’m very active – I like to cycle and run quite a lot, I like any sport really, paddle, golf, you name it. Every day I’m doing something to keep active, but generally a lot of cycling and running.”
His active lifestyle also supports the physical demands of endurance racing, particularly during warm events and double-stint running.
As Patterson prepares for his second ELMS season, he now combines improved familiarity, a settled line-up and the momentum of United’s Portimão podium. The team must still overcome a highly competitive LMGT3 field, but it enters 2026 with a clear objective: fight for podiums at every round and remain in contention for the championship.
