Derani: Blomqvist’s Knowledge “Only Positive” for AXR

Pipo Derani believes that Tom Blomqvist’s arrival as a third driver for Action Express Racing is “only positive” for the team’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship title defense.

Blomqvist joins the lineup in the No. 31 Cadillac V-Series.R alongside Derani and Jack Aitken for Michelin Endurance Cup races, as Aitken steps up from the third driver role to replace Corvette-bound Alexander Sims as one of AXR’s full-timers.

It follows the end of the Meyer Shank Racing Acura program of which Blomqvist was part for the last two seasons, winning the 2022 title alongside Oliver Jarvis.

Blomqvist made his Cadillac bow in last month’s IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway.

Looking ahead to the new season, Derani pointed out how uncommon it is for drivers to have sampled more than one LMDh car since the new rules came on stream in 2023 and believes this will only help strengthen AXR further.

“Having Tom as an endurance driver brings us some knowledge of the other side,” Derani told Sportscar365. “He has some references which will be really good for us, as well as the experience and mindset of being a champion. 

“He is the one of the first to have tried multiple cars. The development phase of these cars was quite long, with both the hybrid systems and the integration with the ICE, so you have to ask yourself whether the others were doing the same things.

“In such a competitive field, it will be interesting to have someone who has knowledge that is not common in the paddock, and I am sure it will be interesting for him too.”

However, Derani was keen to highlight that any benefits deriving from Blomqvist’s knowledge of the Acura are unlikely to be felt immediately.

“I don’t want to call it an advantage, because he isn’t just saying exactly what they did before,” stressed Derani. “But he brings new ideas and a fresh perspective that will allow us to get a better understanding of what we can improve. 

“And any benefits will be seen more in the long-term than just at Daytona, because you can’t develop that fast. But it can only be a positive thing for us.”

Derani was also full of praise for his new full-time co-driver in the No. 31 car, Aitken, who helped Action Express to victory in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring as well as the Endurance Cup title last year.

“It’s been an easy transition, plug-and-play,” Derani said of Aitken. “Jack did a great job last year and he knows the team and car well. He is very easy to work with. 

“It was fantastic to race with Alex last year, I’ve known him since our Formula 3 days although I got to know him better last year and we had a great time. I’m sad to see him go but he’s still in the GM family, he visits our truck sometimes and I see him at Corvette. 

“We had a great year together and we won the title, but we couldn’t have done it without Jack. So I’m looking forward to sharing the car with him this season.”