Gelael and Leung trade BMW for McLaren as pair join United Autosports for 2025
FIA World Endurance Championship race-winners Sean Gelael and Darren Leung will switch from BMW to McLaren for the series’ 2025 campaign, as the pair join forces with the incumbent Marino Sato in United Autosports’ #95 entry to tackle the LMGT3 category.
Gelael and Leung spent last season competing alongside Augusto Farfus in the #31 Team WRT BMW, triumphing at Imola and finishing runners-up in-class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
FIA Silver-graded Gelael – who began his career at the age of ten as a rally navigator for his father – rose through the ranks in single-seater circles before making his sportscar debut in the 2015-16 Asian Le Mans Series, winning both races he started. Alongside his burgeoning success in endurance racing, the Indonesian conducted a number of Formula 1 tests for Toro Rosso between 2017 and 2019.
The forthcoming campaign will mark Gelael’s fifth full season in FIA WEC and his second at LMGT3 level. To-date, the 28-year-old has achieved four victories, ten further podium appearances – including a brace of second places at Le Mans – and has twice finished as championship runner-up.
“I’m super-excited to be in a car with United Autosports after being long-term rivals,” he enthused. “I think it will be a really good experience and a strong opportunity to win the championship. I’m looking forward to racing with Marino [Sato] for the first time and, of course, to working with Darren again after some great highlights together in 2024. It’s great to be part of the McLaren family. Let’s build something long-lasting!”
Former British GT Champion Leung – who additionally clinched the crown in the ‘Bronze’ division of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup last year – has accumulated an impressive haul of trophies during his four seasons of competitive racing thus far. The 37-year-old Brit reached the rostrum on his Le Mans debut last summer, and is aiming to build upon that early promise in what will be just his second campaign in FIA WEC.
“I’m delighted to join United Autosports and McLaren for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season,” Leung acknowledged. “Their commitment to FIA WEC is truly inspiring, and I’m eager to contribute to the team’s efforts as we take on some of the most iconic circuits in the world. I’m really excited to race with Marino and to continue alongside Sean. We created some incredible memories together in 2024 and hope for even more in 2025.
“As a proud Yorkshireman, racing for a Yorkshire-based team makes this opportunity even more special. I can’t wait for the chance to see our national flag raised above the top step of the podium!”
United Autosports CEO Richard Dean is confident that in Gelael, Leung and Sato – who between them tallied one win, three podiums, four top five finishes and ten top ten results in LMGT3 last season – the team has a strong trio with which to head into battle in 2025.
“It’s fantastic to have Sean on-board,” Dean commented. “After years of competing against each other in LMP2 and LMGT3, we now have his speed, skill and determination on our side. Darren’s rise in motorsport has been pretty amazing to watch over the past four seasons, so we are extremely proud that he is now part of the United Autosports and McLaren Automotive family.
“They believe in this LMGT3 programme with the same passion that we do, and I believe we have a very exciting future. Together with Marino, we have an incredibly competitive driver line-up in the #95 McLaren – it’s a real championship contender.”
The action will get underway with the Qatar 1812km on 28 February.
