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Sims Getting ‘More Comfortable’ With LMDh Speed

Alexander Sims getting up to speed with Cadillac’s GTP challenger at Road Atlanta test…

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Alexander Sims says he has been getting “more comfortable” turning laps in the Cadillac V-LDMh as the new signing covers his first significant mileage behind the wheel of a prototype racing car in a decade.

Sims, Cadillac’s new signing to its GTP effort, joined Richard Westbrook, Pipo Derani and Sebastien Bourdais for the two-day sanctioned tests at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

As opposed to the other drivers turning laps in the pair of Cadillacs present at the test, Sims does not have a huge amount of prototype racing experience.

While Westbrook, Derani and Bourdais were all DPi regulars this year, Sims only has three prototype starts under his belt.

The 34-year-old Briton raced a Lola B12/80 Judd with Status Grand Prix for two European Le Mans Series rounds and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012, a decade removed from his signing with Cadillac.

Since then, he’s largely grown into a GT specialist and a race winner in Formula E without prototype experience, so Sims said the test allowed him to get a ‘good understanding’ of the V8-powered hybrid challenger.

“Honestly could not have asked for much more from today,” said Sims.

“It was really, really nice to get a solid haul of laps. Good times, did some fast laps as well, which was nice.

“Some long runs, got a good understanding of the car through a full stint and then did a few bits of slightly more performance testing towards the end of the day.

“So yeah, very useful. Nice to feel a bit more comfortable with the speed of the car.

“Today was really the first day I’d say where things haven’t been coming up at me too quickly.

“I felt more calm in the car and able to process things a bit better. Obviously still work to do, but it’s been a solid test day.”

Westbrook, confirmed on Monday to be making his return to the FIA World Endurance Championship as part of its factory effort in the Hypercar class alongside Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn, similarly said he was pleased to have covered his first miles in the car.

“Some things [are] better, some things need improving on of course it’s a brand new car, but a really good first impression,” Westbrook noted.

“I’m really happy to get my first run out of the way. It was really enjoyable.”

Westbrook named the test’s close proximity to the Motul Petit Le Mans season finale as a positive, as it allows him to mentally compare the new car to the Cadillac DPi-V.R. that preceded it.

“It’s nice having a comparison while the DPi is still fresh in your mind, because they were a very well-sorted car by the end of the development.

“We’ve got to get as close to that as we can, really.

“It was a really good run and definitely some obvious things we can improve on, but right now we’re just making the car run, putting miles on it and that’s where the focus is.

“Stage two of the learning process would be unlocking some performance. That’s the bit I’m looking forward to.”

Davey Euwema is Sportscar365's European Editor. Based in The Netherlands, Euwema covers the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, among other series.

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