Bamber, Lynn preview sixth round of WEC season following historic 1-2 finish
DETROIT (Aug. 27, 2025) – Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA drivers Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn met with the media today via Zoom to preview the Lone Star Le Mans — the sixth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) campaign and Cadillac’s home race — September 7 at Circuit of The Americas.
The team is coming off a historic 1-2 finish and second consecutive pole start in last month’s six-hour race in Brazil, from which Cadillac vaulted to a WEC program-high second in the Hypercar Manufacturers’ Championship.
Media resources: Lone Star Le Mans guide | 2025 Hyperpole/results | 2025 WEC statistics
Media call quotes:
“When you look through the manufacturers that have won races in the World Endurance Championship in this Hypercar era, there aren’t many and we are now one of them. So, I think that puts us now in this category of the team that wants to fight for wins every weekend, to try and fight to win the championship and everything that comes with that.”
— Alex Lynn
Can you talk about the significance of the Sao Paulo victory and sort of getting that monkey off your back.
Alex Lynn: “I think it was a big moment for all of us, really a big moment for the program for many reasons. Obviously, we’ve been competing in WEC for a little bit of a while now and the first time we got a really great result. So many times we’ve been close. So many times we’ve been fast. But I think it was just the first time that finally we showed what we can do, and with a one-two finish as well. I think it just made it even sweeter so that we can put that to bed now and just focus on achieving what we know we can achieve as a team.”
There aren’t many manufacturers in the Hypercar era that have won races and now you’re one. Do you go to COTA with a bit more of a spring in your step given what you’ve just done?
Alex Lynn: “Definitely. When you look through the manufacturers that have won races in the World Endurance Championship in this Hypercar era, there aren’t many and we are now one of them. So, I think that puts us now in this category of the team that wants to fight for wins every weekend, to try and fight to win the championship and everything that comes with that. This is the team that wants to deliver the biggest results possible on the biggest stage and we roll into COTA, which is our home race, with a lot of momentum and we expect to perform. Honestly, we expect to be to be competitive and to solidify what we’ve done and come there with the aim of doing well.”
Do you feel there’s a relief sort of that you you’ve got the win now and a bit of a worry of a difficult second album?
Alex Lynn: “I think from within the team we were never worried. When you drive the car, you know the potential it has, you know what it can do.
“More of a frustration that we hadn’t shown everybody what it could do and what we could do. But I don’t think there was ever a moment where I doubted what was going to happen one day. It was just a question of when not if. Winning a race in the World Endurance Championship is extremely tough as we all know. To do it again, you’re going to need a similar level of effort. But that’s why we enjoy racing and getting up early in the morning to do it.”
The Manufacturers’ Championship landscape changed quite a bit from the first two rounds to where we are now. I’m curious about how the 2025 rule change to have points accumulated by both of the manufacturers’ cars changes each car strategy and each team strategy?
Earl Bamber: “I think it’s been a big change and obviously it’s something really important for Cadillac to go after the Manufacturers’ Championship. I think the thing is we’re going to take it race by race. We had a fantastic race last time out in Brazil. If we execute and we continue to execute and having both cars inside the top five in that manufacturers’ pool, we’re going to end up somewhere at the front. As drivers or the car crews, we don’t think about it that much on the weekend. We focus on maximizing the weekend and trying to bring ultimately a win. To have a great car week in week out, the rest is going to follow let’s say in the championship. COTA last year really suited the car. Whenever there’s a little bit of high downforce corners or high-speed corners, the car’s working really well, we can put the tires in the window, so I think we’re going to be well-suited again to COTA and hopefully we have both of us right up there.”
With this win at Sao Paulo, what did you feel was the main difference between putting together good qualifying and good starts and getting that win?
Earl Bamber: “We knew what the plan was. We had really good tire deg as well, which was let’s say on some of those tracks one of our weaknesses. I think the JOTA team have sort of gone strength to strength understanding the car, and if you have a look at how we’ve progressed in the season at the beginning we were pretty quick in Qatar but then sort of struggled with the same sort of things in Imola. But once the JOTA guys worked out what we need from the car with both car crews, we have sort of gone from strength to strength at Spa, then the 1-2 at Le Mans on the starting grid and having both cars finished inside the top 10 there and then on to Brazil. So, I feel like COTA is also going to be naturally in that progression range where we’re starting to understand how to unlock the full potential of the car week in week out. And I think for Alex and myself also joining the team, everyone’s starting to gel more and more together. So, I think from that side we’ll also get stronger as the season progresses. I think there was not too much big difference at Brazil. We managed to execute it really, really well. Everyone understood what we needed to do in each stint to achieve the maximum result. And we had a really fast car, and that makes it also easier. So the Cadillac was fine there. So, hopefully, it’s got the same sort of speed at COTA.”
COTA, with its wide variety of corners, is a course that any of the teams can win?
Alex Lynn: “I would say no. I don’t think every team can win. Obviously, it goes without saying, only one car is going to win. But I think it’s a unique track with a lot of challenges. If we talk about our car, its strengths are high downforce corners, which COTA has quite a few of. Also, a lot of big braking, which requires high downforce.
“I feel like COTA is also going to be naturally in that progression range where we’re starting to understand how to unlock the full potential of the car week in week out. And I think for Alex and myself also joining the team, everyone’s starting to gel more and more together. So, I think from that side we’ll also get stronger as the season progresses.”
— Earl Bamber
“Let’s say the tricky bits about COTA are the bumps, very slow-speed section, which of course doesn’t require much downforce. So, any car that creates a lot of mechanical grip will suit COTA, and any car that’s high downforce will suit COTA. I think primarily you need to have a car that handles the bumps very well. So, any car that can’t do that would struggle there. But like Earl correctly mentioned, I think our car is something that, or one that suits the layout in COTA. I’m pleasantly confident, hopefully, that we’re going to be up there. But that is what I believe is what it takes to win at COTA from a car.”
Earl Bamber: “Our car’s architecture with the downforce that it has really suits COTA. Obviously, we run it in IMSA a lot, so it actually handles the bumps really well. We did a lot of the development in America. And it’s very good at stop-start corners as well. I think it was our track where we had our best result, but it was a track that really suits the car’s style and architectural layout and that’s also why you see varying results in the WEC is because some tracks are suiting the car’s layout or its strengths and weaknesses. I think the next couple races have typically been quite good for us. Fuji was quite a strong one last year. We managed to work that place out quite well. And, obviously, I think everyone forgets that even though we started in 2023 we’re still quite a young program compared to some of the older programs like Toyota, Porsche with their GT and now their LMDh program. We continue to learn week in week out against some of those teams.”
How is the gelling phase between Cadillac and JOTA going?
Alex Lynn: “I think you’ve got to say quite well coming off the back of what I’d say was a strong weekend. Obviously, everyone goes to Le Mans dreaming of winning. That goes without saying. But we were very strong and there weren’t many cars that you could say were definitely better than us, so we were right up there. Then went to Sao Paulo and managed to score a 1-2 for a partnership that’s very young. I think JOTA are doing a fantastic job. I think that gelling phase is bedding in quite nicely. I think we feel confident that we’re just going to carry on improving as the races go by and the test days go by and simulator sessions. It’s just really kicking on nicely. There’s a nice feeling in the program right now. Everyone’s having a lot of fun.”
Earl Bamber: “I think everyone’s working quite well together. There’s a lot of respect between all the drivers. There’s a ‘one team’ atmosphere. There was also a big change in the background where now all the teams share all their setups and all their information, so I think the fact that Cadillac is really drawing on all four cars to gain data, to gain information all the time is also really driving performance forward in WEC and IMSA.”
COTA is the race last year where things at Cadillac started to hit another gear. And I know Earl told my colleague that he really likes driving around COTA. Alex, do you share his love of driving around this place?
Alex Lynn: “I do. It’s a really cool track. It’s a cool place, anyway. The city’s a great, great city. It’s one that I think we all enjoy going to in the World Endurance Championship. But the circuit itself is a unique challenge. It’s always very hot, which makes it an even bigger challenge for being in the cockpit. But the circuit itself is very physical, very bumpy, high speed, high commitment. And I think one where if you’re having a really good day behind the wheel, you can make the difference, which I think for any driver is the kind of circuit that you want to be at, where you feel like you can make the difference on any given day. That’s how I’d describe the COTA circuit. It’s a great place to be and I’m super happy it’s back on the calendar.”
Now that COTA is back on the calendar with a very good turnout, how much does that add to your excitement of coming back?
Alex Lynn: “I think racing as a whole is in a really great moment. Certainly, American racing is in a great moment as well. So, if we can try and draw into that and bring the crowd to the circuit, that’s what we want as drivers. We want to be performing in front of the biggest crowd we can, representing our brands and we want to put on a show. So, we need to do our part and make sure that it’s a spectacular race, to make sure the crowds keep coming and get bigger. And so certainly the more we can do to help that, the better it’s going to be for everyone involved. But certainly, it’s a growing event and it’s great to be a part of.”
JOTA have a season running the Porsche 963 and all the data and information that’s come from that experience. Did you find that that’s been useful or helpful in what they’ve brought to the program?
Earl Bamber: “They come from a very, very long history in the WEC, not just with the Porsche, but also with the Oreca in LMP2. I remember in Le Mans in 2017 when the other ones broke down and we were coming back. We were racing against JOTA for the win. So, I think it’s not just that single year with the Porsche. I think it’s also all their knowledge about how to go about winning in the WEC is something that has really lifted the whole program forward. They know the championship well. They know the rules well. And they know the mentality and the work ethic that it takes to win in the World Endurance Championship. So that combination and the fact that we were on a real rise at the end of 2024 has sort of allowed us to hit the ground running.”
Alex Lynn: “JOTA has a rich history in the World Endurance Championship, and I think that’s something that that can’t be bought. Sometimes in this kind of style of racing that experience is so critical in any style of ACO racing. So, from that side, JOTA brought a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to running in these championships and I think that’s purely the difference right now is just leaning on their experience and just many years of doing it at this level.”
Historically, the cars built elsewhere outside the U.S. come to the U.S. and they don’t work as well in the heat. So could you just address how you’re your Cadillac responds in hot conditions?
Alex Lynn: “I think the car is quite good, actually, in the heat. The car doesn’t mind it. It’s more the human element in the middle that tends to be bothered by it more. No, actually, to be honest, the car, when it’s hot, works really well. I think we’re quite good on tire degradation these days. Yeah, the car handles it just fine.”
Do you as drivers have anything to say about the picks of Bottas and Perez for the Cadillac F1 program?
Earl Bamber: “They’re two very good drivers. They’re two very experienced drivers that are the right fit at the moment for what they need, and I think it’s just really cool to see the brand going to that height in motorsport.”
Alex Lynn: “Totally agree. It’s cool to see the brand in F1 and two great drivers that are going to bring a wealth of knowledge to really help that program start on the right foot.”
What does the win in Sao Paulo doe for the team mentally as far as motivation not only heading into the race in the U.S. but also for the rest of the season?
Earl Bamber: “Definitely, everyone’s on a high. Obviously, it’s a big thing. There’s a lot of pressure. I think JOTA’s also got a record of the last 20 years always winning a race in the WEC. I know Sam (Hignett) was very, very happy to keep that streak going. So, morale’s high, but at the same time, motor racing’s always very good at bringing you back to reality very quickly. So, we’ve been working really hard in the last month or so. We’ve been in the sim. We’ve been doing a lot of work. We definitely haven’t stepped off the throttle, even though we got our first one. We know the competition’s going to be chasing us going to COTA. So, we hope we have everything in order. But definitely everyone’s had a smile. We had a really good summer barbecue party to celebrate that and now it’s back to work.”
Is tire management something you’ve struggled with in the past and kind of what’s changed to make you kind of pretty good these days?
Alex Lynn: “I think we’ve just improved the car globally. Usually when your car’s a bit better, you tend to have better tire deg, actually. It’s sometimes as simple as that. I think that’s it. We’ve just got a really good handle on the car balance and putting it in the right window. And, again, I think it’s as simple as also when you’re having a bad day with cars set-up, you tend to have bad tire degradation as well. So, I think it’s just as a team, we’ve gotten pretty good at putting the car where it needs to be and making sure we’ve got a fast racecar every Sunday and we roll it out. It’s pretty much as simple as that. I wish I had a better answer, but it is that when the car’s good, the tire deg nine times out of 10 is good as well.”
Do you think you’ve improved at the same rate as the other teams or faster?
Alex Lynn: “I think some teams have hit a bit of a wall in terms of progress they’re making, and I think our progress is a lot bigger than others. I think that’s largely down to JOTA and the rate of improvement that they’ve made with the car. I think other teams have just hit a bit of a wall when it comes to progress that they’ve made with their car and developing it. I think that’s been a bit of a strength of ours certainly the last few races.”
Are Toyota and Ferrari and Porsche and Cadillac the teams that we expect to be the ones to beat in COTA?
Alex Lynn: “I think we’ll see the usual suspects, yeah. I think Ferrari, Porsche, Toyota and ourselves. I think if that is who I probably see fighting it out for the big results. If you want my honest opinion, yeah.”
Earl Bamber: “I think we’ll see the usual culprits. I saw the other day a good fact that I believe it’s Toyota, Ferrari, Porsche and now us in the modern era are the only ones to win races. So, I think it will be the normal suspects. There’s a few that are coming closer and closer to the front, but I think it will be the normal people.”
COTA is pretty bumpy and it usually suits the LMH cars a little bit better with their four-wheel drive and their ride control. LMDh cars seem to track the smoother circuits better than the LMH cars. Do you think that’s going to be a factor next weekend?
Alex Lynn: “You’re correct. I think they are very good on the bumps. They’ve got a lot of good mechanical grip, and I think our trump card is the downforce we produce, so we rely on that. Also, the straights were repaved last year as well, which also helped us on a few different factors with being able to run our car lower and stuff like that, maximizing the downforce in our car. I think the repave helped us last year. It’s a bit of yin and yang, really, with what suits the car and what doesn’t, but our trump card is downforce, so we need to play that.”
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