Is Cadillac Falling Into Its Own Trap While Pursuing Le Mans Victory?

Is Cadillac walking into a trap of its own making while chasing victory at Le Mans?

Cadillac’s push for Le Mans victory in 2025 is one of the most ambitious projects in motorsport this year. With four Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh prototypes entered, the American brand will match Porsche for the biggest grid presence in the Hypercar class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Two cars come from the FIA World Endurance Championship operation run by Jota, while Whelen and Wayne Taylor Racing bring the IMSA effort. All four teams have agreed to a full data-sharing policy, creating a unified Cadillac operation at La Sarthe for the June race.

With two years of prior experience in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Cadillac seems better prepared than ever. Yet, the scale of the project introduces new challenges.

Sebastien Bourdais, who will drive the No. 38 Cadillac with Earl Bamber and Jenson Button, points out the risks: too much shared information can overload teams. Bourdais explains that while everyone benefits from seeing setup data and strategies, the sheer number of possible directions sometimes makes it harder to focus.

Early in the program, Jota had to blend its experience racing a Porsche with the Cadillac systems, while Wayne Taylor and Whelen teams each brought different backgrounds. Bourdais said the early months were tough as teams merged different working styles and knowledge into a single approach.

This challenge comes at a time of change for Cadillac. Jota shifted from running a Porsche 963 customer team to operate a Cadillac V-Series.R for 2025.

Norman Nato, driver of the No. 12 with Will Stevens and Alex Lynn, acknowledges the team is still young, saying it is not yet at 100%. Jota has improved race by race since the start of the year.

Although not viewed as favorites, the team believes it has an opportunity to fight at the front. Nato emphasizes that success at Le Mans does not come overnight, explaining it takes years to develop a winning operation, and that 2025 may still be a building year for the future.

The Cadillac V-Series.R might look the same as in previous years, but there have been technical changes behind the scenes. A “technical joker” update was made to the car’s electrical systems, and the hybrid system evolved to offer more flexibility, which led to confusion as teams adapted.

Bourdais remarks that brake maps, the differential, and wiring harnesses have all changed, forcing drivers to relearn systems they thought they knew well. Simple differences, like the location of the reverse gear, led to drivers searching for controls during critical moments.

This adds an extra layer of complexity to a car that should be familiar but now feels different. Cadillac’s four-car effort is a major leap compared to its previous attempts.

The team hopes the increased car count, data sharing, and combined learning accelerate the path toward a first Le Mans victory. Drivers like Bourdais, who returns for his 18th start, try to look at the growing complexity as a positive, saying more tools are now available to optimize race performance.

Still, he admits it is a struggle at first to adapt, with everyone needing time to find their comfort zones in the updated cars.

As the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans approaches, Cadillac continues to refine its approach and set its sights on an elusive overall win.

With experienced drivers, strong partners, and the largest team Cadillac has ever fielded at the iconic circuit, expectations are high. The real test will come on track, where the true potential of this ambitious program will be revealed by the checkered flag.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.