De Pauw Drafted into Cetilar Lineup for Petit Le Mans

Photo: Kevin Pecks/SRO

Rising GT star Ulysse De Pauw has been drafted into Cetilar Racing’s lineup for this weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans due to a clashing event for Ferrari factory driver Antonio Fuoco.

The 21-year-old Belgian will join Roberto Lacorte and Giorgio Sernagiotto at the wheel of the No. 47 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo 2020, marking his U.S. racing debut.

De Pauw won this year’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup Silver title, having claimed victory in two races overall with AF Corse, which operates Cetilar’s IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program.

Fuoco, who had been part of the team’s winning lineup at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, will be racing in Barcelona this weekend as a title contender in GTWC Europe Endurance Cup with Iron Lynx.

“Due to strategic decision and our collaboration with Ferrari, at this event De Pauw takes the place of Antonio Fuoco,” said Lacorte. “I want to welcome Ulysse, a very young driver with an excellent [track record].”

De Pauw added: “I’m super happy to join Cetilar Racing for this mythical race. After a successful European season, I can’t wait to race for the first time in America.

“I’m going to give my absolute best to help Roberto and Giorgio to bring home a strong result. Big thanks to Cetilar Racing for this amazing opportunity.”

The team is coming off a test at the 2.54-mile Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta earlier this month in preparation for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale.

“We thought The Glen was the most exciting and representative track of the U.S. motorsport. Then we discovered Road Atlanta, that is more difficult, with very fast bends and risky zones,” Lacorte said.

“This track is the higher expression of the American philosophy. That means we must be careful as mistakes are not allowed here. This is a risky and tortuous track, where traffic is very difficult to manage.”

Lacorte and Sernagiotto are currently fifth in the GTD Endurance Cup points standings, ten points behind leaders Brendan Iribe, Ollie Millroy and Jordan Pepper of Inception Racing, which will also have a revised lineup in Seb Priaulx joining Iribe and Pepper due to the Barcelona event.

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