Bourdais to Complete Cadillac Lineup for Qatar

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Sebastien Bourdais will complete Cadillac Racing’s lineup for next month’s FIA World Endurance Championship season-opening Qatar 1812km, joining full season drivers Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn at the wheel of the Chip Ganassi Racing-run Cadillac V-Series.R.

Bourdais, a regular for the team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, will be part of a rotation of third drivers in the No. 2 Cadillac during the season that will include Renger van der Zande and “select CGR teammates” according to a statement from the team.

CGR has not yet confirmed exact third driver assignments for additional races, which will include the 24 Hours of Le Mans and 8 Hours of Bahrain.

“When a team is fortunate enough to have such a strong stable of drivers to pull from, it just makes sense to utilize the talent when you have the opportunity,” said CGR’s global operations director Mike O’Gara. “Chip Ganassi Racing proved that in Daytona when we put Alex Palou in the 01 Cadillac V-Series.R.

“Putting Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 2 for the Qatar events is going to give him a chance to re-familiarize himself with the WEC rules and regulations. It is also going to allow us to strengthen the bond between the U.S.-based IMSA team and the Germany-based WEC team.

“We know it is going to strengthen both programs and better prepare us for our 2024 attack on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

CGR is known to be pursing a second Cadillac entry for Le Mans, which would likely be made up of Bourdais, van der Zande and Dixon if granted by the ACO selection committee.

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