Cadillac Racing experienced a mixed performance at Spa-Francorchamps and Laguna Seca during the IMSA and FIA WEC races held on May 11th and 12th, 2024. In fact, their results couldn’t have been more different.
At Laguna Seca, the outlook was promising for the No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R, piloted by Jack Aitken and Pipo Derani, to win the IMSA race. However, with less than 12 minutes remaining in the two-hour-40-minute race, the No. 6 Porsche, driven by Nick Tandy at the time, surged past the No. 31 Cadillac, then under Aitken’s control. Aitken encountered interference from a pair of GTD racers, hampering his pace and allowing Tandy to seize the lead. From there, the Porsche maintained its advantage, leaving Aitken trailing and ultimately claiming victory over the Caddy team by nearly six seconds.
Meanwhile, the No. 01 V-Series.R, piloted by Renger van der Zande and Sebastien Bourdais, secured a fifth-place finish overall. Despite leading early in the race, the Caddy team faced disappointment as they gradually lost pace compared to the leaders as the race progressed.
In stark contrast to Derani and Aitken’s P2 run, the FIA WEC Cadillac Racing squad ended up junked after a serious wreck. Earl Bamber, driving the No. 2 V-Series.R at the time of the incident, collided with Sean Gelael’s Porsche. The impact sent Bamber’s car careening into the wall, causing it to spin and nearly flip in front of the oncoming field. Both race cars sustained critical damage, leading to Bamber and Gelael being taken to the infield care center for evaluation. Fortunately, both were cleared after medical examination, although, of course, the No. 2 Cadillac Racing team was done for the day.
“I’m super sad, this team deserved a good result today. We had a fast car yesterday and today. I can’t hide my disappointment but I’m thankful that Earl is ok. Genuinely, that’s the main thing, and we will regroup after this,” Earl’s teammate, Alex Lynn, said after the crash.
As Cadillac looks ahead to the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans, fans are invited to check out a new documentary set to air at the end of May. No Perfect Formula showcases the luxury marque’s return to the iconic endurance race after 20 years of absence in 2023 and sets the stage for this year’s running.
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