General Motors has explained that it will not appoint a permanent companion for Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn, destined to drive the V-Series.R managed by Chip Ganassi Racing.
Laura Wontrop Klauser, GM's head of sportscars, explained to Motorsport.com that he will announce the driver before each race, after the departure of Richard Westbrook to JDC-Miller Motorsports, hinting that he will use several of his official fleet.
It is not even excluded that we could proceed to use just the two aforementioned drivers for races shorter than 6 hours, outlining a plan for what he defined as “a flexible approach”.
“We have a great roster of drivers within GM,” Klauser said. “There are really good people we can call on if we need their help. We won't announce a full-season driver for that seat; meaning, we'll do it race by race.”
Klauser did not elaborate on her comments, but it seems likely that Cadillac will use a driver from its IMSA championship – in which there are two cars – for races not in conjunction with the WEC.
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook
The Cadillac drivers for the IMSA season are Sébastien Bourdais/Renger Van Der Zande with CGR, and Pipo Derani/Jack Aitken of Action Express Racing, who will not be available for the Imola and Spa WEC rounds in April and May, as coincide with the IMSA events in Long Beach and Laguna Seca.
Tom Blomqvist, who was announced as AXR's third driver for IMSA endurance racing, will be unavailable due to a concurrence with the IndyCar Series, which he contests with Meyer Shank Racing.
Scott Dixon will drive CGR's V-Series.R at the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona and is expected to retain his seat for the Endurance Cup races, while he will be involved in IndyCar with the team on the Imola and Spa weekends.
When asked if Cadillac would be allowed to run just two drivers in the #2 WEC car, Klauser responded, “It's allowed, so we have the option to choose if that's what we want to do for those races. It's not out of the question. the entry of new faces into the program, but nothing has yet been decided on the matter.”
This would be necessary if Cadillac once again expands its three-car WEC assault for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with entries from CGR and AXR as in 2023.
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