Jack Aitken will be a driver for Hertz Team JOTA in 2026

Cadillac has found Jenson Button's replacement. The 2009 world champion of Formula 1, who retired on the evening of the 8 Hours of Bahrain, left a vacant seat that the American manufacturer was looking to fill for the 2026 season of WECWhile several external options were considered in recent months, the Detroit (Michigan) firm ultimately drew from its pool of drivers already committed to the sport. IMSA to complete its Hypercar crews.

Cadillac announced on Wednesday that Jack Aitken will join Sebastian Bourdais and Earl Bamber driving the No. 38 Cadillac V-Series.R in 2026. We are delighted to welcome Jack Aitken to our Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA driver lineup for the 2026 WEC. Jack brings exceptional speed, extensive technical knowledge, and a fierce competitive spirit that perfectly complement the team. " says Keely Bosn, head of the Cadillac Racing program.

The trio of car number 12, winners of the 6 Hours of São Paulo, will remain unchanged in 2026 with Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens. Our workforce for 2026 truly reflects the strength of continuity, adds Bosn. With drivers competing in both IMSA and WEC, we're implementing a unified program that fosters performance and shared development. I'm truly excited by the depth, talent, and energy this team brings to the upcoming season. »

Aitken already sporting the colors of Hertz Team JOTA at the Rookie Test

Initially considered a potential signing for Genesis due to his dual South Korean nationality, the London native will ultimately continue to represent Cadillac. 24 Hours of Le Mans. The old pilot Williams F1 (one Grand Prix start) has competed in the last three editions with Action Express Racing, a car he also drove in IMSA. Across the Atlantic, Aitken distinguished himself with victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring (2023), as well as more recently at Indianapolis and Petit Le Mans, at the end of the 2025 season.

Aitken was also present in Sakhir to compete in the WEC Rookie Test on Sunday, already driving a Cadillac for Hertz Team JOTA. It was really interesting, as always, to be able to try out the WEC Cadillac in a different team environment. Aitken told AUTOhebdo after getting out of the car. I'd been able to observe how Jota works at Le Mans from the garage across the road, and of course, we'd done some testing together from time to time as the Cadillac group, but this was my first time driving their car, and I found the experience enjoyable. Their way of working is a bit different from Action Express's, but with its own strengths. We also tried to exchange ideas on setup philosophies between the teams, to see if we could learn anything. In short, we went into quite a bit of detail. There wasn't a "Eureka!" moment, but a few interesting insights. It's not my favorite track for this type of car, I must say. »

Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber will therefore be drivers in both the WEC and IMSA series, sharing the same car, as they have already been confirmed in the #31 Action Express Racing entry for the entirety of the upcoming North American championship. They will face a date clash on the weekend of April 17-19, between Long Beach (IMSA) and the 6 Hours of Imola (WEC). With Frederik Vesti also scheduled for the Californian round, Aitken should be able to compete in Emilia Romagna.

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