Cadillac DPi-V.R has finished second the past two years in 2-hour, 40-minute race
DETROIT (May 11, 2022) – No one need remind Pipo Derani that every second matters in an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race.
The reigning Daytona Prototype international (DPi) champion has co-driven to a runner-up finish in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R the past two years at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – by a combined margin of less than one second – in the 2-hour, 40-minute races.
Derani and first-year teammate Tristan Nunez, who earned the third-place trophy May 1 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after starting sixth, will attempt to secure the top spot of the podium in the Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio this weekend. Drivers of the three other Cadillac DPi entries, all of whom have had success this season, will also seek to claim the top prize in the 2-hour, 40-minute race May 15 on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn natural-terrain road course.
Cadillac at Mid-Ohio media resource guide: Storylines, notes, statistics and more
Cadillac DPi 2022 media guide: Historical statistics, technology transfer and more
Cadillac DPi entries have won two of the four IMSA races this season, including podium sweeps at Sebring International Raceway and on the streets of Long Beach, California, and collected eight podium finishes overall.
The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R led the charge at Mid-Ohio in May 2021, with the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R setting the race record lap time of 1:12.188 (112.605 mph).
“I think we’ve done extremely well (at Mid-Ohio) considering that it’s a track that better suits the Acuras. We were so close to winning, but we came up short at the end,” Derani said. “It’s such a difficult place to pass. We weren’t quite able to do that last year and the year before.
“Nevertheless, it’s great to be coming back to Mid-Ohio. It produces great racing. We want to put on a good show for them and bring Cadillac a win.”
Much like at Laguna Seca, Cadillac teams will contend with low grip and traffic, and pay particular attention to fuel mileage. Last year in the heated closing stint at Mid-Ohio, the top four DPi finishers ran 56 minutes — about 10 minutes longer than the average length.
“I’m feeling great about heading into Mid-Ohio following the amazing result we had a Laguna Seca,” said Nunez, who started the 2019 Mid-Ohio race from the pole. “It was a tricky track for us, but we made the most of it and we came out with a really great result. I think we’ll have the same mindset for Mid-Ohio. I think it’s about getting the car dialed in, so it feels really good for the race.
“I’m really itching to get a win in this car, with this team. I think we’re close. I think everything is starting to come together.”
Green flag is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 15. The race will air live on USA Network and stream on Peacock starting at 2 p.m. ET. IMSA Radio will air all on-track sessions at IMSA.com along with XM 207 and SiriusXM Online 992.
Cadillac DPi roster for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
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 has three top-five finishes in four DPi races with Cadillac at Mid-Ohio, including third place in 2020. … Bourdais drove to the pole start in GTLM competition at Mid-Ohio in 2019.
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 is a two-time winner in GTLM (2018, 2019) at Mid-Ohio. … Lynn will be making his first start at the track.
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. … Vautier has a best finish of fourth in 2021 in DPi competition with Cadillac at Mid-Ohio.
No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R (Action Express Racing)
Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez
Derani and Nunez co-drove to third place on the Laguna Seca road course May 1 after starting sixth. … 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. … The No. 31 Cadillac has been the runner-up the past two years at Mid-Ohio, with Derani as co-driver. … Derani and Felipe Nasr were the 2021 IMSA DPi Driver Champions and Whelen Engineering/Action Express Racing was the Team Champion.
Cadillac Racing DPi-V.R Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course results 2021-2018
2021: Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Fourth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval
Fifth (No. 01 Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen
2020: Second (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Third (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Renger van der Zande, Ryan Briscoe
Sixth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Sebastien Bourdais, Joao Barbosa
22nd (eighth in class) (No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Tristan Vautier, Gabriel Aubry
2019: Fourth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr
Sixth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor
Seventh (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start eighth – Stephen Simpson, Simon Trummer
Eighth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa
Ninth (No. 50 Juncos Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Kyle Kaiser, Will Owen
10th (No. 85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Tristan Vautier, Misha Goikhberg
2018: Fourth (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth — Felipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa
Fifth (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor
Eighth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 12th – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran
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