The Cadillac LMDh is solid and it proved it amply even on its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
After the excellent podium achieved at the 24h of Daytona at the end of January, the V-Series.R managed by Chip Ganassi Racing and built on a Dallara chassis also faced its first race in the top endurance series at the 1000 Miles of Sebring.
It wasn’t an easy task, but right from the Prologue the #2 car driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook not only had good lap times, but also kept a consistent pace to contend with the so-called ‘others’.
Given that the Toyotas were objectively uncatchable, with two years of activity among the Hypercars, during the 8h the American prototype fought first with the Porsches and then with the Ferrari 499P #50, which in the end preceded it in the duel for the last step of the podium for only about ten seconds, a sign that the road taken is the right one.
#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
“There is no doubt that it was a good and great day for Cadillac Racing, we started the WEC season with a fourth place and I think we would all have signed on for a result like that before starting the weekend,” says Lynn.
“This was the first time we had all worked together on this program and to get within 10″ of the podium against a strong team like Ferrari is just fantastic, considering how much we can improve. We are a team that wants to achieve great things, so we bring this result home with the idea of wanting more.”
In the final stages, Bamber tried to get close to Ferrari with a wild pace, but in any case he was not disappointed with the result: “We fought for the podium against Ferrari and we were a bit unlucky with the Full Course Yellows at the end, but we were among the best after the Toyotas, so we continue to work hard. The team did a fantastic job at the first race with the LMDh and now we are going to Portimao for the next one.”
#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Westbrook, who ‘saved’ from serious sanctions after he had thrown out the Porsche of Proton Competition in Free Practice, commented: “I’m very proud of everyone. We stayed out of trouble and could potentially have gotten third place if some episodes were We have been on our side. Now we just have to move forward, with so much data to analyze. It’s invaluable. It’s better than any eight-hour test.”
Also satisfied with the head of General Motors, Laura Wontrop Klauser: “In 2022, the development of this car, the test program and everything we have faced has been very tough for the team, but we are seeing the results and we are really proud to all the work and effort we put in. It was well worth it.”
“We have a solid car and we are looking forward to the rest of the WEC and IMSA season to show the world how great it is. Every time we start the car we learn something. something and racing is the best way to do that. So we can only grow and improve.”
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