United Signs Pino for Enduros After Quinn Becomes Gold

United Autosports has signed Nico Pino to its IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup LMP2 driving squad for next year following Alex Quinn’s promotion to FIA Gold status.

The Chilean Silver-rated driver will join United full-season pairing Ben Keating and Ben Hanley for the long-distance IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship rounds.

Quinn was originally signed as the team’s endurance driver after supporting Keating and Paul-Loup Chatin at PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports this year, however the Brit was recently re-classified from Silver to Gold in the FIA’s annual driver ratings review.

The IMSA sporting regulations permit LMP2 teams to run two Gold-rated drivers in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but they can only have one Platinum or Gold at the other Endurance Cup rounds. Hanley is Gold-rated and Keating is United’s mandatory Bronze driver.

Pino, who has retained FIA Silver status for another year, is set for his WeatherTech Championship LMP2 debut after contesting a partial season with Sean Creech Motorsport in the LMP3 class that included pole positions at Daytona and Road America.

The 19-year-old graduated to LMP2 competition in the Asian and European Le Mans Series where he drove for ARC Bratislava and Duqueine Team respectively,

“United Autosports, a team with a prestigious history and reputation in motorsport, is for sure the best place to progress my career,” said Pino.

“I am confident that alongside Ben Keating and Ben Hanley we can fight consistently for the top positions. I can’t wait to start working with the team to prepare the first race of the season, the 24 Hours of Daytona.”

United Autosports CEO Richard Dean added: “Nico has been one of the standout drivers in both the IMSA and ELMS in recent seasons.

“As a young driver with so much success already and the potential to win so much more, we are delighted to have him at United Autosports for our first full season in IMSA next year.”