Sebastien Bourdais believes Cadillac has an opportunity to combat for victory within the 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours – not like final yr – courtesy of improved prime pace.
Cadillac achieved a 1-2 in Hyperpole final yr with each of its Jota entries, however Bourdais had displayed uncommon pessimism following that efficiency.
The veteran feared the V-Collection.R was going to wrestle in race circumstances on account of its lack of straightline pace, and the end result proved him proper because the podium eluded the American constructor.
A yr later, Bourdais’ outlook is way more optimistic. “Our bundle appears to be like aggressive with its up to date aero, which has more than likely put us again in a window the place we are able to combat,” the Frenchman, who shares the #38 automobile with Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber, commented shortly earlier than Free Follow 1.
“Le Mans is Le Mans, you by no means know what’s going to occur, however feeling like you may have an opportunity to combat is relatively pleasing already. I believe many individuals didn’t consider what I used to be saying final yr, however so far as I’m involved, I’ve a way more optimistic outlook – ‘Proper, now we should always have the means to combat’.
Sebastien Bourdais, Cadillac Hertz Crew Jota
Photograph by: Rainier Ehrhardt
“I’ve stated it 250 occasions, our automobile was very quick [in 2025] however was attaining the lap time within the Porsche curves. You possibly can’t win Le Mans with a automobile that will get the lap time within the Porsche curves after they’re traffic-free as soon as each 15 laps. We have been unable to overhaul, we acquired handed, we couldn’t clear visitors on straights like others, we have been sliding on a regular basis, it was inevitable.
“You possibly can’t win Le Mans with out Vmax, it’s unimaginable. This yr, clearly, our automobile’s bundle appears to be extra aligned with the others and subsequently ought to give us an opportunity to combat. However that’s all you may ask for in a BoP championship the place one doesn’t dictate what you do with aero or with engines – solely when everybody has an opportunity does the system work.”
Race tempo evaluation indicated that Cadillac was second-fastest from Toyota on the Check Day, however the Japanese producer instructed a few of its rivals could also be sandbagging, and Bourdais himself doesn’t consider the pecking order to be so easy.
“We’re within the combine,” the Le Mans native reckoned. “Clearly, Toyota may be very, very sturdy. I completely don’t count on Ferrari to not be within the combine, there will likely be extra gamers than this. You possibly can see some are struggling a bit, however total, performance-wise, I really feel prefer it could possibly be the tightest Le Mans – which is nice as a result of that is the intention of the system, fairly merely.
“BMW will likely be up there. They didn’t present something on the Check Day, however they are going to be up there. We all know the info, there’s no cause for them to not be.”
Cadillac ended up topping FP1 by a whopping 1.7 seconds – with the same old caveat that free apply outcomes have to be taken with a grain of salt.
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