DragonSpeed Returns to GTD Pro, Signs Bourdais for Petit

Photo: Fabrizio Boldoni/DPPI

DragonSpeed will step back into the GTD Pro class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for its final scheduled series appearance in next weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans, while signing Sebastien Bourdais to headline its lineup.

The Cadillac factory driver, who will depart Hertz Team JOTA’s FIA World Endurance Championship program at seasons’ end, will join DragonSpeed regulars Giacomo Altoe and Casper Stevenson in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

Bourdais won the ten-hour Michelin Endurance Cup round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta twice overall and is set for his first GT start since the conclusion of the Chip Ganassi Racing-run Ford GT program in 2019.

“Getting a call up from DragonSpeed and being asked to race with them really put a smile on my face,” said the Frenchman.

“I love Petit, and have been fortunate to have a lot of success there in the past. This will be my third different class in the last three years and I’m really excited to see how different it is to what I’ve experienced for the previous two times.

“Racing in GTD Pro in a Corvette will also be two new ventures, but everyone I’ve talked to says the Chevy is a great car.

“The focus of the weekend is to help DragonSpeed, Elton, Henrik, Giacomo, Casper and all the guys behind the scenes get a win at Petit for GM.”

It will mark the Elton Julian-led team’s first time back in GTD Pro since finishing second in the class championship last year with a privateer Ferrari 296 GT3 program that took the fight to the works-supported Corvettes.

“We’re so ready to finish this year with a classic both in and out of the car,” said Julian.

“Over the years, DragonSpeed has raced with some of the great drivers of their generation, whether it be in endurance or single-seaters. Sebastien is one of those drivers.

“When the decision was taken to race in [GTD] Pro to close out our GT campaign in IMSA, we needed an ace in the pocket and we found one.

“With him, I know what we are going to get and it’s exactly what we will need.

“It’s time to go racing again with the big boys and we won’t bring a knife to a gun fight. Everyone at DragonSpeed and GM are looking forward to seeing him do his thing in the Z06 GT3.R.”

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