Cadillac announces four drivers for IMSA in 2023, including Bourdais

Cadillac lifted the veil this Tuesday, September 20 on the drivers who will represent the brand in the GTP category of IMSA in 2023. The four lucky ones are: Sébastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Pipo Derani and Alexander Sims. They will each be distributed among the two cars entered in the championship. Bourdais and van der Zande will thus ride in the LMDh prepared by Chip Ganassi Racing while Sims will join Derani in that of Action Express Racing. 

WEC crew announced later

The Detroit firm has therefore chosen to continue with three drivers already in its ranks in 2022. The Frenchman and the Dutchman are already cohabiting in the No. 01 Cadillac DPi this season and will do the same next year, while Pipo Derani is a regular in the No. 31 in the colors of Whelen Engineering. If the Brazilian was accompanied by Olivier Pla for the second part of the current financial year, it is Alexander Sims who will support him in 2023. The Briton already knows the General Motors house, having played under the colors of Corvette since last year. . 

“I am very happy to return to competition in IMSA full-time and driving the Cadillac V-LMDh. This is an impressive piece of equipment. I spent two good years with Corvette in GT, which brought me back to the paddock of a championship that I love”, declares the 34-year-old driver who will make his prototype debut.

“Development has started on the new car and we are trying to take it to as many circuits as possible, adds Bourdais. It's something that I really like, developing a new car is a bit like a new baby. You put your mark on it, you give your opinion and you dream of developing it in such a way that you feel in harmony with the car. We have a very strong foundation and Cadillac and Dallara have done a great job. It’s a very exciting program and a very exciting new era for endurance racing. »

Additional drivers will be added to this line-up for the races of theEndurance Cup, including the 61st edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona (January 26-29). Cadillac will later announce its drivers for the car which will be fielded in WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber, the two other development drivers of the LMDh with Sébastien Bourdais and Renger van Zande should be part of it. 

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