CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANS

In June, CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANS will be going for the overall win in the Hypercar Class at the world’s premier endurance race.

CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANS

“We are thrilled to return to the  Circuit de la Sarthe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the full Cadillac Racing team,” said Global Vice President of Cadillac Rory Harvey. “Over the last 20 years Cadillac Racing has built a legacy of winning on the track and we feel very privileged to return to Le Mans during this exciting new electrified era in racing.”

The three Cadillac V-Series.R race cars made their competition debut January. 28-29 in the 61st Rolex 24 At Daytona, with the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R earning a podium finish. The No. 02 Cadillac V-Series.R placed fourth and the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R finished fifth. They will join other competitors in the Hypercar class with revised car numbers for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and contest for the overall win.

  • The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R received an automatic entry based on its full-season participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook are the drivers.
  • The No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R is a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrant, where it races as the No. 01. Sébastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and Scott Dixon will be the drivers.
  • The No. 311 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R is a full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entrant, where it races as the No. 31. Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken will be the drivers.

“Cadillac is excited to build on its racing legacy by competing against the very best internationally and at one of the world’s toughest races,” said GM sports car program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser. “We’re proud to be representing the United States and the Cadillac V-Series.R is a great continuation of our racing heritage.”

The guiding principles for convergence of the top categories of endurance racing in IMSA and the WEC were announced in 2020. Design and development of the new race car began immediately.

The Cadillac V-Series.R design – co-developed by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara – was influenced by the Project GTP Hypercar that was unveiled in June 2022. The race car incorporates distinctive Cadillac design elements, such as vertical lighting and floating blades.

CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANS feature all-new Cadillac 5.5L DOHC V-8 engines developed by GM’s Performance and Racing Propulsion team based in Pontiac, MI. The spec energy recovery system was developed by Bosch, Williams Advanced Engineering (now WAE) and Xtrac.

The Cadillac V-Series.R began on-track development in July 2022 and logged more than 12,400 miles (20,000 kilometers) on racetracks in the U.S. leading into the 2023 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The first Cadillacs raced at Le Mans were entered by privateers Briggs Cunningham and Miles and Sam Collier in 1950. Both of these Series 61 coupes were powered by the Cadillac 5.4-liter OHV V-8 engine.

CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANSMiles and Sam Collier co-drove the No. 3 “Petit Pataud” to a 10th place overall finish.

Briggs Cunningham shared the wheel of the No. 2 “Le Monstre” with Phil Walters and finished 11th overall despite an early off-course incident. Vintage Cadillac photos: Mike Matune.

That same year, Sydney Allard and Tom Cole Jr. finished 3rd overall in the Cadillac powered Allard J2. Most recently, Cadillac competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with its 4.0L turbocharged V8-powered Northstar LMP.

For more information about CADILLAC V-SERIES HYPERCARS AT LE MANS and Cadillac’s road-racing heritage, please visit https://www.cadillac.com/world-of-cadillac/racing/heritage