Sebastien Bourdais will bolster DragonSpeed’s Corvette roster for Petit Le Mans, marking the team’s GTD Pro return in its final scheduled IMSA outing of the season at Road Atlanta.

The four-time Champ Car champion partners Giacomo Altoè and Casper Stevenson in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, targeting a high-value result against a factory-heavy field.

Bourdais last raced GT machinery in 2019 with Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ford GT. He also owns two overall Petit Le Mans victories, bringing proven endurance craft to a demanding event.

DragonSpeed re-enters GTD Pro after a strong prior campaign, having finished runner-up last year with a privateer Ferrari 296 GT3. The target is a decisive season finale.

GTD Pro runs GT3-spec machinery under Balance of Performance, with all-pro driver lineups. Endurance rounds permit three drivers, amplifying the value of experience and error-free execution in traffic and cautions.

The Corvette’s learning curve suits Bourdais’s strengths. His feedback on setup windows, tire degradation, and multi-class traffic should sharpen stint consistency and restart discipline across the ten-hour distance.

DragonSpeed’s GT focus this year follows competitive showings across the GT categories, where executing around BoP and tire peaks defines ceiling and floor more than outright pace.

Currently part of Cadillac’s factory roster, Bourdais departs Hertz Team JOTA’s WEC program at season’s end. This IMSA GTD Pro run offers a timely, high-profile return to GT competition.

Team principal Elton Julian rates Bourdais as the “ace” addition for Road Atlanta. Expect focus on maximizing caution sequencing after the circuit’s history of late drama and last-lap swings.

Altoè’s GT mileage and Stevenson’s adaptability have underpinned DragonSpeed’s consistency. With Bourdais, the team gains deeper experience in traffic management and night-phase pace control.

Petit Le Mans compresses high-risk traffic into a narrow, fast layout. Temperature swings and evolving rubber make tire management, pit windows, and clean stints decisive.

Recent class battles, including an LMP2 victory shaped by timing and restarts, underline the premium on track position and pit precision.

The broader IMSA picture remains fluid, with the IMSA lead narrative often pivoting on Road Atlanta’s reliability and caution rhythm as daylight fades into night.

With Bourdais’s pedigree alongside Altoè and Stevenson, DragonSpeed has the ingredients to contend. Converting that potential will hinge on error-free running and making the right calls when the race compresses.

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James William

James William covers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to sprint-race formats. His reports include prototype performance reviews, GT class battles, and pit-stop strategy insights for endurance-racing fans.