Cadillac had large ambitions when it entered the World Endurance Championship for the primary time in 2023 with the V-Sequence.R. Returning to the Le Mans 24 Hours was a significant second for the Normal Motors model, which was keen to put in writing a brand new chapter on the sharp finish of endurance racing following its disastrous stint with the Northstar LMP from 2000-2002.
However whereas its new LMDh prototype was fast off the blocks in IMSA’s rebranded GTP class, the identical automotive was struggling to complete wherever close to the entrance within the WEC. A 3rd-place end at Le Mans in 2023 was a giant achievement, but by the tip of its sophomore WEC season, Cadillac had little else to point out for its efforts.
That led to Cadillac parting methods with Chip Ganassi Racing after simply two seasons in each WEC and IMSA and forming a brand new Hypercar partnership with Jota for 2025. Though Jota lacked earlier expertise operating a manufacturing unit programme, its pedigree in LMP2 and its two seasons working the Porsche 963 as a buyer group proved it was greater than able to stepping up.
The response to Cadillac’s swap was overwhelmingly constructive throughout the paddock, and drivers and group members appeared genuinely enthusiastic for the brand new collaboration.
A promising begin
The expectation was that Jota’s arrival would instantly carry Cadillac’s competitiveness, however not many predicted simply how shortly the partnership would click on. After a fortuitous security automotive, the 2 Hertz-liveried Cadillacs led the season opener in Qatar, exhibiting what the partnership was able to.
That Jenson Button and Alex Lynn collided on the restart whereas operating first and second was a big blow, however there was no taking away from the truth that Cadillac was now a severe contender within the WEC.
Jota group principal Dieter Gass was fast to downplay the importance of the squad’s efficiency in Qatar, however did admit that not less than a podium end was inside attain within the 10-hour enduro.
“We actually did properly in Qatar, however I do not suppose you’ll be able to say that we have been the strongest group – even when we did not have this downside with the restart between our two vehicles, the place we have been within the lead,” Gass instructed Motorsport Germany.
“I do not suppose we’d have had the efficiency to beat a Ferrari. Perhaps on the rostrum, however we would not have been in a position to win on our personal.”
#12 Cadillac Hertz Group Jota Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, Will Stevens
Picture by: Andreas Beil
What Jota achieved in Qatar already surpassed something Cadillac had skilled with Ganassi.
However Gass refused to attract any comparisons between the 2 groups, insisting Jota’s focus at the beginning of the yr was to achieve a greater understanding of the automotive.
“We do not examine ourselves to what occurred earlier than. We take a look at ourselves,” he stated.
“That was actually a superb begin, even when we have been nonetheless at first of the educational curve as a result of it was all new.
“In that respect, we have been nonetheless comparatively distant in Qatar. Additionally understanding of the automotive, in fact. That has all modified considerably over the spring season.”
Adapting to the Caddy LMDh
Whereas each the Porsche 963 and the Cadillac V-Sequence.R are constructed to LMDh rules and have the same-spec hybrid system, Gass insisted the transition wasn’t as easy as some had anticipated.
“It is only a utterly totally different automotive,” he defined. “It is a automotive, though based on the identical rules, with related core information, however constructed fairly in a different way.
“The habits is totally different. And that is why you actually must expertise and study numerous new issues first.
“It actually helped that we have now already pushed two seasons within the Hypercars. However intimately, the distinction is large. And we all know how actual efficiency in motorsport is finished intimately. So it’s a must to regulate it once more.”
Sao Paulo the spotlight of the yr
Cadillac’s efficiency ebbed and flowed in step with the BoP changes utilized all through the season. However when issues have been in its favour at Sao Paulo, it pounced on the chance to attain a dominant 1-2, with Alex Lynn, Will Stevens and Norman Nato main the way in which within the #12 V-Sequence.R.
“There are two issues to think about,” stated Gass. “On the one hand, there are tracks the place we wrestle with the automotive. Imola is actually the one that’s the most troublesome for us. That’s not essentially the observe for which the automotive is finest suited. That is one factor.
“The opposite factor is that the automotive is de facto good when it drives in clear air, and that was the case in Sao Paulo. Then we drove away on the entrance and have been in a position to maintain on to the entrance properly. Fuji, additionally, in some phases. Sadly, the protection automotive spat us in on the flawed second, which additionally partly led to the outcomes being not so good as they might have been.
“However the automotive is as it’s in the mean time. Excellent when it drives alone with out one other automotive in entrance of it. And as quickly as you may have one other automotive in entrance of you, like soiled air, that makes it troublesome to overhaul, even when you theoretically have the tempo.”
Qualifying energy
#12 Cadillac Hertz Group Jota Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, Will Stevens
Picture by: Andreas Beil
One space the place Cadillac thrived after its swap to Jota was one-lap tempo. Lynn was one of many star performers of the yr in qualifying, main three front-row lockouts at Le Mans, Sao Paulo and Fuji.
To spotlight the importance, Cadillac had not even scored a pole place within the WEC throughout its two-year affiliation with CGR.
Gass believes this enchancment was once more rooted within the automotive’s aerodynamic traits.
“Should you drive alone and haven’t got a automotive in entrance of you, then the automotive is robust and good,” he stated. “It’s a must to say that Alex additionally contributes to this, who can be extraordinarily robust in qualifying for one lap.
“We even have a superb set-up for him in qualifying, which you then retune a bit within the race when the others are additionally within the automotive, as a result of he prefers a distinct steadiness than the others. It’s a must to compromise a bit within the race.
“I feel these are the details. As a result of when you qualify in entrance and drive in entrance, then the tempo is normally good.
“I would not say that the automotive is stronger in qualifying than within the race.”
Reaching targets
Lynn, Stevens and Nato ended up fifth within the drivers’ standings on 93 factors, whereas Button, Earl Bamber and Sebastien Bourdais have been categorised tenth within the #38 entry.
In the meantime, Cadillac completed the yr fourth within the producers’ race, simply behind the championship’s large three – Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche. Simply seven factors separated Cadillac and third-placed Porsche, whereas Toyota was solely six extra factors clear in second.
This was a marked enchancment from 2024, when it languished in seventh place within the standings on simply 42 factors.
Requested if Jota has achieved all its objectives for the yr, Gass stated: “In fact, objectives are transferring right here one way or the other. Should you begin properly, you may want just a little extra.
“However I feel if we have been to take a seat right here now in 2024 and we’d speak about what the objectives are, what I’d have imagined there, I can already say that we have now achieved [them].”
He added: “You possibly can’t complain. I feel we have seen a powerful upward pattern over the yr. We additionally managed to carry on to our streak, particularly to win a race within the prime class yearly.”
Looking forward to 2026
#31 Cadillac Motion Categorical Cadillac V- Sequence.R: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti
Picture by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen through Getty Photos
Subsequent yr Cadillac will run an upgraded automotive which made its first public look on the IMSA-sanctioned take a look at at Daytona earlier this month.
With the Sauber wind tunnel in Hinwil now not out there, all producers competing in Hypercar must ship their vehicles to the Windshear facility in North Carolina over the winter. Beforehand, Cadillac cut up its WEC and IMSA homologations throughout the 2 wind tunnels, as required by the rules.
“All [Cadillac] groups give their enter [on upgrades],” Gass stated, referring to Jota and Cadillac’s IMSA groups, Wayne Taylor Racing and Motion Categorical Racing.
“We additionally examined and all groups have been concerned within the testing. It is not like all the pieces is minimize down on us. Everyone seems to be concerned.
“The aero homologation is now not accomplished in Sauber [for WEC] and for the IMSA in Windshear. Every little thing is now accomplished in Windshear.
“Consequently, we’ll drive the identical automotive [as] within the IMSA. That was not the case till now.”
With Porsche leaving the Hypercar class, Cadillac and Jota may have a giant alternative on their fingers subsequent yr. If the American producer continues on its present trajectory, Ferrari and Toyota must watch their backs in 2026.
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