Cadillac DPi-V.R entries aim to complete sweep of podium in West Coast events
DETROIT (April 26, 2022) – Completing a West Coast podium sweep is the goal of Cadillac DPi teams this weekend in the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
The No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R won the 100-minute race April 9 on the streets of Long Beach (California) to lead a 1-2-3 Cadillac finish in the ultra-competitive class, and the four Cadillac teams will seek a repeat performance May 1.
Following 24-hour, 12-hour and 100-minute races, the 2-hour, 40-minute race on the technical 2.238-mile, 11-turn natural-terrain road course will present its own set of car set-up, strategy, and traffic and tire management issues. Additionally, while the race is longer than the most recent event, the pace will be as intent.
“It’s going to be all out,” said Alex Lynn, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R that holds the class points lead. “On our side, we have to maximize everything. It’s about executing the plans, about executing performance and just a lot of focus. Maximizing every single time you’re on track the game plan of each session and being very meticulous in preparation usually pays dividends.”
Added Tristan Vautier, co-driver of the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R: “The track is very unforgiving so it’s just finding that right balance because when it’s time to go it’s time to go. You still have to push and be at the limit, but the track grip is so low that it’s very easy to make mistakes.
“So, it’s just about finding that right balance between trying to make the most of it without overdriving.”
Vautier and co-driver Richard Westbrook, who have finished on the podium in all three races, are three points arrears of Lynn and co-driver Earl Bamber in the DPi standings. The No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R won at Sebring in March and was runner-up to its sister entry at Long Beach. The victory at Long Beach marked the 25th for Cadillac since the inception of the DPi class in 2017.
Cadillac DPi entries finished second and third at Laguna Seca in the 2021 race, held on Sept. 12.
Green flag is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. ET/12:10 p.m. PT on Sunday, May 1. The race will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock starting at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions at IMSA.com along with XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.
Cadillac DPi roster for Laguna Seca
No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R (Cadillac Racing)
Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais
Van der Zande and Bourdais co-drove the No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R to the victory on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting from the pole. … It was the 16th IMSA victory for van der Zande and eighth for Bourdais. … Bourdais set the qualifying lap record time in the event. He set the lap record time in earning the pole for the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring. … Van der Zande and Kevin Magnussen co-drove to a second-place finish in 2021 at Laguna Seca. … Van der Zande teamed with Marc Goossens to win the 2017 race at Laguna Seca. He also won the Prototype Challenge race in 2014.
No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R (Cadillac Racing)
Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn
First-year entry in expanded Cadillac Racing DPi program. Bamber and Lynn co-drove to a runner-up finish on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting second. … They, along with Neel Jani, co-drove to victory March 19 in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. … Bamber and Lynn are the DPi championship points leaders entering the Laguna Seca race weekend.
No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (JDC-Miller MotorSports)
Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook
Vautier and Westbrook co-drove to third place on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting fifth. Vautier and Westbrook, joined by Loic Duval, drove to second place in the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring and opened the ’22 season by starting second and finishing third at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. … Only DPi team to finish on the podium in all three races. … Trails in the DPi championship standings by three points. … Westbrook is a three-time winner in IMSA competition at Laguna Seca (Daytona Prototype-2012, Prototype-2015, GTLM-2016).
No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez
Derani and Nunez co-drove to fifth place on the streets of Long Beach on April 9 after starting fourth. … Derani and Nunez, joined by Mike Conway, started second and finished third in the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring. … The three-driver team started seventh and finished fourth in the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season. … Derani and Felipe Nasr were the 2021 IMSA DPi Driver Champions and Whelen Engineering/Action Express Racing was the Team Champion.
See the Cadillac lineup
Spectators have the opportunity to view an array of Cadillac vehicles, including the exciting CT5-V Blackwing and Escalade-V, at the Cadillac display at the racetrack. Hours are 8 a.m-5 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R Laguna Seca results 2021-2017
2021: Second (No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen
Third (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval
2020: Third (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Sixth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe
Seventh (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Sebastien Bourdais, Tristan Vautier
Eighth (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Stephen Simpson, Matheus Leist
2019: Third (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Fourth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor
Fifth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa
Eighth (No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Tristan Vautier, Misha Goikhberg
Ninth (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Stephen Simpson, Simon Trummer
2018: Fifth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran
12th in class, 30th overall (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first* – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor * pole
DNS (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth — Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa
2017: Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Eric Curran, Dane Cameron
Third (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first* – Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor * pole
Fifth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi
About Cadillac
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