Five Cadillac DPi-V.R teams prepare for 6-hour event on challenging Watkins Glen course
DETROIT (June 22, 2022) – As Pipo Derani can attest, one strong race can change the fortunes of an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship team.
Last June, Derani co-drove the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R to a fourth-place finish in the six-hour race at Watkins Glen International and returned a week later to win the 2-hour, 40-minute race. That victory gave the team momentum, which translated into four consecutive podium finishes – including two wins – in the closing races on the way to earning the DPi championship.
Derani, along with co-drivers Olivier Pla and Mike Conway, will aim for a similar kickstart this weekend in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Four other Cadillac DPi entries will seek to secure the victory on the 3.45-mile, 11-turn road course and score maximum points in the third of four rounds of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.
“Coming into this race, it will be Olivier’s second race in the car. We believe he is going to be super strong,” Derani said. “This is an important race for the endurance championship; one that we are very much in the fight. That’s going to play a lot into the strategy as well. Having Mike coming back to the team is a great addition. I’m looking forward to going back into a long-distance race – six hours – which normally plays into our hands.”
Pla, who joined the team for the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic on June 4, co-drove to victory in 2019 at Watkins Glen and has finished on the podium three times in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition.
“It’s an amazing track with high-speed corners. It’s a very difficult race too with all the categories together,” he said. “Strategy is very important there. It’s about having good track position at the end. The last two hours, you need to be at the front. I’m really looking forward to the race and to give the maximum to get a strong result for the team.”
The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R is the endurance race pacesetter, with Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook and Loic Duval co-driving the JDC-Miller MotorSports entry, through two of the four events.
The No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R won the last endurance race – the Twelve Hours of Sebring – in March. The Cadillac Racing entry will be co-driven by Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber. The No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, which has claimed two victories and four pole starts, will be co-driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande.
Co-drivers Mike Rockenfeller and Kamui Kobayashi will again join seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R. The team is competing in the four endurance races this season.
“In one of these DPi Cadillacs, the pace and the effort you can drive around that racetrack is quite impressive – especially comparing it to my days in NASCAR,” said Johnson, who did not compete at Sebring International Raceway because of a scheduling conflict with INDYCAR. “Some of the braking zones, the Bus Stop in the back, and the Carousel, it’s just mind blowing how fast these cars can travel through those tight little areas. I’m very excited to get back and have that experience once again.”
The Cadillac DPi entries received a 15kg weight reduction to 945kg for the race weekend as part of IMSA’s Balance of Performance adjustments. The Cadillac DPis will still be 15kg heavier than the Acura counterparts.
The USA Network will telecast the closing hours of the race, starting at 2 p.m. ET June 26. Peacock will provide flag-to-flag streaming coverage, starting at 10:40 a.m. ET. IMSA Radio will broadcast all on-track sessions at IMSA.com along with XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.
Following action at The Glen, Cadillac teams will venture north for the 2-hour, 40-minute Chevrolet Grand Prix on July 1-3 on the 2.459-mile, 10-turn Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. It’s the first back-to-back race weekend of the IMSA season and will be the first stop at the track in to Bowmanville, Ontario, since 2019.
Cadillac DPi roster for Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen
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 Belle Isle street circuit June 4 and the streets of Long Beach on April 9 – starting from the pole both times. … Belle Isle was the 17th IMSA victory for van der Zande and ninth for Bourdais. … Bourdais set the qualifying lap record time in both events. He also set the lap record time in earning the pole for the March 19 Twelve Hours of Sebring and for the May 15 Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio. … Bourdais is a four-time INDYCAR champion. … Bourdais and van der Zande competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago.
Car chief-Phil Binks
Lead engineer-John Hennek
Race strategist-Peter Baron
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 placed third June 4 on the Belle Isle street circuit… They, along with Neel Jani, co-drove to victory March 19 in the Twelve Hours of Sebring. … Bamber salutes his home country with a silver fern design on the sides of his helmet — a quasi-national emblem used for various official New Zealand symbols. … Lynn competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago. … Bamber drove the No. 02 Cadillac during a test day at The Glen earlier this month.
Car chief-Jamie Coates
Lead engineer-Danielle Shephard
Race strategist-Michael Harvey
No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Pipo Derani, Olivier Pla, Mike Conway
Pla made his debut in the No. 31 Cadillac on June 4 at Detroit. … Derani and Felipe Nasr won the 2-hour, 40-minute race in 2021 at Watkins Glen. … Derani and Tristan Nunez co-drove to third place on the Laguna Seca road course after starting sixth. They followed with a third-place finish May 15 at Mid-Ohio. … Derani and Nunez, joined by 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. … Derani and Pla were teammates for the second consecutive year for the 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago.
Car chief-Bill Keuler
Technical director/lead engineer-Iain Watt
Race strategist-Tim Keene
No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R (JDC-Miller MotorSports)
Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, Loic Duval
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 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. … The team sits atop the Michelin Endurance Cup Championship standings. … Westbrook is a London-trained chef. … Vautier and Westbrook competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago. … Duval drove the No. 5 Cadillac on a test day at The Glen earlier this month.
Car chief-Josh Kerrigan
Lead engineer-Rick Cameron
Race strategist-John Church
No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Rockenfeller
Team is running the four endurance races this season. … Team of Johnson, Kobayashi, Rockenfeller and Jose Maria Lopez opened the season by starting third in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Repairs in 13th hour necessitated by being bumped off course negated a strong showing, and team placed 11th overall. … Lopez was the third driver for the Sebring race, sitting in for Johnson, who had a conflicting INDYCAR race weekend. … The team started fifth and finished sixth at Sebring. … In May, Johnson competed in the Indianapolis 500 and was voted rookie of the year. … Kobayashi, co-driving with Mike Conway and Jose Maria Lopez, was runner-up in the 24 Hours of Le Mans two weeks ago.
Car chief-Scott Darnell
Technical director/lead engineer-Iain Watt
Race strategist-Chad Knaus
Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R Watkins Glen results 2021-2017
2021 (2-hour, 40-minute race): First (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Second (No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen
Fourth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval2021 (6-hour race): Fourth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr, Mike Conway
Fifth (No. 48 Ally Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Jimmie Johnson, Simon Pagenaud, Kamui Kobayashi
Sixth (No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen
Seventh (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval, Sebastien Bourdais2020: No race
2019: Fourth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor
Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Joao Barbosa, Filipe Albuquerque, Mike Conway
Seventh (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran
Eighth (No. 50 Juncos Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Will Owen, Rene Binder
Ninth (No. 84 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Simon Trummer, Stephen Simpson, Chris Miller
11th overall (No. 85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Tristan Vautier, Misha Goikhberg, Juan Piedrahita2018: Fifth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor
Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 12th – Gabby Chaves, Filipe Albuquerque, Christian Fittipladi
Seventh (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran, Mike Conway
11th overall (No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Tristan Vautier, Matthew McMurry2017: First (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Christian Fittipaldi, Joao Barbosa, Filipe Albuquerque
Sixth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor
16th overall (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Dane Cameron, Eric Curran, Filipe AlbuquerqueSee the Cadillac lineup
Spectators can view an array of Cadillac vehicles, including the exciting CT5-V Blackwing, CT4-V Blackwing and the 2023 Escalade-V, at the Cadillac display in midway at The Glen. The display is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. each day.
The 2023 Escalade-V — the industry’s most powerful full-size SUV that goes on sale late this summer – expands the V-Series lineup. Now in its fourth generation, Cadillac’s V-Series represents ultimate performance, the epitome of Cadillac’s engineering capability, with unrivaled sophistication and comfort for everyday driving. In adding Escalade-V to the lineup, the V-Series family continues to expand, while consistently combining power, luxury, thoughtful technology and athletic refinement for the discerning enthusiast.
About Cadillac
A leading luxury auto brand since 1902, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com.
