JOTA in Contention for Factory Cadillac Hypercar Deal

Photo: MPS Agency

JOTA Sport has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Chip Ganassi Racing as the operational partner of Cadillac Racing’s FIA World Endurance Championship program next year.

Multiple industry sources have indicted to Sportscar365 that the Sam Hignett and David Clark-owned squad, which currently run a pair of customer Porsche 963s in the globe-trotting championship, is believed to currently be the favorite to land the factory deal beginning with the 2025 season.

It was confirmed last month that CGR would not return with the American luxury brand in both the WEC and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, with Cadillac instead looking to link-up with an established European team for its WEC campaign.

A final decision from GM, which has held dialogue with multiple other teams, is understood to not come until June at the earliest.

When asked by Sportscar365 on the prospects of JOTA representing Cadillac next year, Hignett said: “We are focusing on this year at the moment.”

GM Sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser, meanwhile, declined to comment on the manufacturer’s 2025 WEC plans, when also questioned at Imola, site of this weekend’s second round of the season.

The possible link-up with JOTA, which currently has primary sponsorship from U.S.-owned car rental giant Hertz with its pair of Porsche 963s, could serve as a financial boost that would enable Cadillac to run two full-season V-Series.R entries in the globe-trotting championship.

Cadillac is known to have only focused on a single-car WEC effort this year due to budget reasons.

Hypercar manufacturers, meanwhile, are understood to be voting next month on whether to mandate two full-season cars per manufacturer in 2025, which if approved, would theoretically force Cadillac, as well as Lamborghini, to expand its operations in order to remain in the series.

Should the UK-based squad land the Cadillac deal, it’s unclear what would happen to its pair of Porsche 963s.

JOTA became the first team to run a customer Porsche 963 in last year’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps and is coming off a maiden podium finish in this year’s season-opening Qatar 1812km with drivers Callum Ilott, Norman Nato and Will Stevens.

Jamie Klein contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John