United’s #23 ORECA Withdrawn From Spa & Portimao

United Autosports’ European Le Mans Series effort will be reduced to two ORECAs for the remaining three races of the 2023 season at Spa and Portimao.

As a result of Jim McGuire’s injury, sustained in an incident during testing at Aragon last month, he, Guy Smith and Paul di Resta will take no further part in the season in their #23 LMP2 Pro/Am-entered 07 Gibson.

McGuire’s off in Spain resulted in a head-on impact with the barriers, in the lead-up to the third round of the season, which was initially thought to have aggravated an old injury.

Luckily, Australian racer Garnet Patterson was able to step in at the last minute and ensure the #23 was able to take part, the car being moved into the LMP2 category as a result while McGuire began his recovery ahead of the race at Spa next week.

However, true impact of the crash turned out to be multiple broken vertebrae, which McGuire is now being treated for. As a result, the #23 ORECA 07 has been withdrawn from the ELMS.

“We hope you feel better soon, wish you a full recovery, and look forward to seeing you at a racetrack again before too long,” the team said in a statement.