Sebastien Bourdais third Cadillac driver in Qatar | FormulaPassion

The starting drivers

We are now a month away from the start of the 2024 season with the Qatar 1812 km, the first event of the year scheduled for March 2nd after the Prologue scheduled on the same Lusail circuit on February 24th and 25th. For this championship, the Cadillac V-Series R prepared by the team Chip Ganassi Racing has only made two starting drivers official: Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber.

The third pilot is official

However, for longer races, the addition of a third driverwith the choice falling on another former Formula 1 player, just like other drivers present on the starting grid this year: Sebastien Bourdais. In fact, he will be the one to take to the track in Lusail for the first round of the WEC: “When a team is fortunate enough to have such a strong stable of drivers to draw from, it makes sense to utilize the talent when given the opportunity – he has declared Mike O'GaraChief Operating Officer of CGR – Chip Ganassi Racing proved this at Daytona, when we put Alex Palou in the No. 01. Put Sebastien Bourdais on no. 2 for the Qatar events will give him the chance to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations of the WEC. Furthermore, it will allow us to strengthen the bond between the US-based IMSA team and the Germany-based WEC team. We know it will strengthen both programs and prepare us as best we can for the attack on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2024.”

A look at Le Mans

In the same statement published by the team, the team also announced the promotion of the Dutchman Renger van der Zande. The latter, however, will support the starting drivers in view of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, when Cadillac will most likely show up with two cars. Furthermore, for this event the opportunity to see the track again is not excluded Scott Dixon and Alex Palouwho on that occasion will be free from their commitments with IndyCar.

Bourdais' successes

Born in 1979, Bourdais became Formula 3000 world champion in 2002. The highest points of his career, however, the Frenchman achieved in the United States, with four consecutive Champ Car victories from 2004 to 2007. Successes that opened the doors of the F1 in 2008 with the promotion in Red Bullhowever obtaining six total points in a year and a half with two seventh places as the best overall performance.