Grégoire Saucy will target his first overall European Le Mans Series (ELMS) victory when United Autosports contests the 4 Hours of Le Castellet on Sunday.
The Swiss driver returns to Circuit Paul Ricard two years after claiming his maiden ELMS class win at the venue. Saucy raced in LMP2 Pro/Am with Richard Mille by TDS in 2024 and shared victories at Le Castellet and Mugello with Mathias Beche and Rodrigo Sales.
However, Saucy now competes in the main LMP2 category alongside Ben Hanley and Griffin Peebles. The United Autosports trio began the 2026 season with third place at Barcelona and will aim to move another step forward in France.
Furthermore, United holds the record for the most victories at the event, giving Saucy additional confidence as he pursues another successful result at Paul Ricard.
Barcelona podium establishes strong foundation
United Autosports started the season competitively at the 4 Hours of Barcelona, where Hanley qualified the #22 Oreca 07-Gibson in sixth position.
Peebles then delivered two impressive opening stints and helped the team move into contention at the front. United held the lead during the race before Saucy completed the crew’s effort with a podium finish.
Although the team still identified areas for improvement, Saucy viewed third place as an encouraging start to its championship campaign.
“It was a really positive first race for us. We saw we had a competitive car for the race, also for the quali, with Ben qualifying the car in P6. Then Griffin did a mega job in the first two stints. Then we could keep the car in in the first position, and even at the end to get a podium, it’s a really good start to the season. We still have few things to work on, but it’s quite normal, like everyone has to. It was a really good first round, and I’m sure we can still do much better for the rest of the of the year.”
Consequently, United arrives at Le Castellet with useful momentum and an early championship score. More importantly, the Barcelona race demonstrated that Hanley, Peebles and Saucy can challenge the leading LMP2 crews across a full four-hour contest.
Nevertheless, the team wants to convert that potential into a victory. United must therefore refine the remaining weaknesses that emerged during the opening weekend while maintaining the speed that carried the #22 car onto the podium.
Saucy returns to the scene of his first ELMS win
Saucy already holds positive memories of Circuit Paul Ricard after winning the LMP2 Pro/Am category there in 2024.
That result marked his first ELMS class victory and launched a successful campaign with Richard Mille by TDS. He later added another win at Mugello alongside Beche and Sales.
Now, Saucy returns with a different team, different teammates and a more ambitious target. Instead of pursuing another Pro/Am success, he wants to win the 4 Hours of Le Castellet outright.
The Mistral Straight chicane stands out as one of his favourite parts of the circuit. Its layout gives drivers several options as they balance entry speed through the left-hand section against positioning and traction for the right-hand exit.
“I really like the chicane in a back straight, in the Mistral, because you have plenty of possibility to go in the corner. You can go, like, really quick into the left and not preparing so much the right, but you can still get a good exit There is so many things to do there in this corner; I quite like it.”
Therefore, the chicane rewards both commitment and adaptability. Drivers can attack the opening phase aggressively, but they must still position the car correctly to avoid compromising the remainder of the sequence.
Traffic will add another challenge during the race. LMP2 drivers must negotiate slower LMP3 and LMGT3 cars while protecting their own battles, and the chicane could provide both overtaking opportunities and potential delays.
McLaren programme supports Saucy’s development
Alongside his United Autosports programme, Saucy continues to form part of the McLaren Driver Development Programme.
The initiative supports his physical and mental preparation, particularly as he manages the travelling demands associated with international endurance racing. During his previous FIA World Endurance Championship campaigns, Saucy regularly travelled to venues such as Fuji and Austin.
McLaren consequently provided methods that helped him recover from long journeys and prepare effectively for each race weekend.
“So first, they’re helping me with my physical side and my mental side. The last two years I did the WEC and we had a lot of travelling going to Fuji, going to Austin. After a long flight, they gave me quite a lot of tools to be fully ready when I arrive there. And it’s this point that’s quite good.
“Then on the other side I am there to also help them in all the simulators, in all the category, F1 Indy Car, in endurance racing. My goal now, as I’m in endurance, is to go to Hypercar, and I will work really hard to go there. But in this programme, it’s to work on these three different categories.”
Meanwhile, Saucy contributes to McLaren’s simulator work across Formula 1, IndyCar and endurance racing. That variety allows him to develop his technical understanding while supporting several areas of the manufacturer’s motorsport programme.
Moreover, Saucy has set Hypercar competition as his long-term objective. Strong performances in the ELMS can therefore support both United’s championship ambitions and his own attempt to progress further within top-level endurance racing.
Tight LMP2 field leaves little room for error
The opening Free Practice session at Le Castellet confirmed the strength of the 2026 LMP2 grid.
Traffic prevented Saucy from completing a completely clear lap, although his rivals faced similar difficulties. Even so, the final times showed small margins between the leading crews.
As a result, each driver must combine every element of the lap during Qualifying. A minor error, poorly timed traffic encounter or missed braking point could separate the front row from the middle of the grid.
“It’s really competitive. We saw this morning in Free Practice that everyone is really close to each other. I didn’t get a clear lap because we had some traffic, but everyone had some traffic. But if you see the lap times, everyone is really, really close each other. It’s really competitive. I think it will be something really tough in quali to put everything together, and the one who can put everything together will be the one at the top.”
Qualifying position will also influence the opening stages of Sunday’s race. Although four hours provide opportunities to recover, starting near the front can reduce the risks associated with the congested first laps.
However, United must also execute its strategy, pit stops and driver changes accurately. The identical Oreca 07-Gibson machinery places greater emphasis on team performance, while the depth of the field ensures that rivals can punish even small mistakes.
United targets another step forward in France
Saucy, Hanley and Peebles have already shown that they can contend near the front after finishing third in Barcelona.
Additionally, Saucy’s previous Le Castellet victory gives him confidence at the French circuit, while United’s successful history at the event provides the team with an established reference. Nevertheless, past results will not guarantee another podium against the closely matched 2026 field.
The #22 crew must first maximise Qualifying before maintaining its position through traffic, pit cycles and potential interruptions. If United executes each phase successfully, Saucy believes the team can improve on its Barcelona result.
After winning the Pro/Am category at Le Castellet in 2024, the Swiss driver now seeks a more significant achievement. An overall victory would strengthen United’s championship challenge and move Saucy another step closer to his long-term Hypercar ambitions.
