“Olly has done it on merit”
United Autosports boss Richard Dean believes that anybody who underestimates what Jarvis is capable of will be eating their words...
“I have exactly the same opinion,” says United Autosports co-owner Richard Dean on the question of Oliver Jarvis being underrated. “I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves. Some of that is he’s not naturally pushy, even though he’s always been quick. He doesn’t have an ego. To have made it like he has over a long period, usually you need to self-promote. Olly has done it on merit.”
Dean has known Jarvis a long time. Like Johnny Mowlem, he raced against dad Carl in Formula Ford and even ran Olly in the junior category himself (Jarvis finished fourth at the 2003 Formula Ford Festival for Team JLR). “I was keen to get him in,” says Dean. Beyond ability, platinum-graded Jarvis has added value as a guide to the mandatory silver and bronze drivers who make up LMP2. “You need a minimum of a silver in WEC,” explains Dean, “and those silver drivers are usually early in their careers, perhaps coming from singleseaters. They need a good example and Olly is an exemplar of how you need to go about your job as a professional, just like Filipe Albuquerque. The team loves them.”