Pierson Signs with United for 2022; Youngest Le Mans Starter

Photo: United Autosports

USF2000 front-runner Josh Pierson will make his full-time sports car racing debut with United Autosports, with the young American set to take part in the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class.

Pierson, who is currently 15 years old, is poised to become the youngest-ever starter at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the age of 16 years, 4 months and 4 days old, surpassing current record holder and fellow countryman Matt McMurry by several months.

McMurry made his Le Mans debut at 16 years, 6 months and 21 days old in 2014 at the wheel of a Greaves Motorsport-run Zytek Z11SN Nissan.

The Portland native, who has already tested United’s Oreca 07 Gibson in an outing at the Red Bull Ring earlier this year, is the first confirmed driver in the team’s 2022 lineup for the globe-trotting championship.

Pierson currently competes for Pabst Racing in the highly competitive American junior open-wheel series.

“I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to be part of such an accomplished team as United Autosports,” said Pierson.

“I can’t believe how quickly my career has progressed in the past year. To suddenly be driving a car as fast as the LMP2 car, feels like a dream.

“I am looking forward to what the future has in store for me and the team. I have one simple goal, and that’s to help United produce the best results I can.”

The team plans to put the up-and-coming driver through an “intensive” testing program ahead of his debut next year, with Pierson on-site at Le Mans this week to take in the sights and sounds of the French endurance classic.

“I was very impressed with Josh when he tested with United a few months ago at the Red Bull Ring in our LMP2 car,” said team co-owner/managing director Richard Dean.

“Our job is to have him ready to win in the WEC next year.”

Zak Brown added: “He is a very exciting and mature 15-year-old with tons of potential.

“Our WEC team are experienced and can assist him on this journey and I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”

The team has yet to declare if it will expand into a two-car WEC operation next year.

United has run a single full-season LMP2 entry since its series debut in the 2019-20 season, with Phil Hanson, Filipe Albuquerque and Fabio Scherer as its drivers this year.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John