Cadillac Racing; WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca; September 12, 2021; Cadillac DPi-V.R teams Whelen Engineering Racing (#31), Mustang Sampling/JDC-Miller MotorSports (#5), and Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing (#01) (Richard Prince/Cadillac Photo).
The No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R will start tomorrow’s running of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca from third on the DPi grid.
Kevin Magnussen had the controls of the No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R for the 15-minute qualifying session under sunny skies and 70-degrees. The Dane posted a lap of 1:15.026 that will have him starting from the second row for tomorrow’s two-hour-and-forty-five-minute race. Together with teammate Renger van der Zande and the Chip Ganassi Racing crew they will be focused on getting their second win on the season.
“Obviously I am disappointed not to be fighting with the two cars in front of me today,” Magnussen said. “The V-Performance Academy Cadillac was in its right spot, and we were able to put it on the second row in P3. We know the Cadillac is good in the race versus the Acura cars, so I think that is a pretty good position to be in. Of course, you always want to be on pole, but the points and the trophies are tomorrow.”
The No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R was qualified by Pipo Derani. The Brazilian put in a lap time of 1:15.384 that will have him starting fifth. He and teammate Felipe Nasr are second in the championship points and will be going for their third win in as many races tomorrow.
“It was a difficult qualifying run for us,” Derani said. “We thought we would have a little more pace, but the track conditions changed a lot and affected our side of the garage. We have a good race car. We are not starting exactly where we wanted but it is a two-hour-and-forty-minute race and a lot can happen. I am sure that the Whelen Engineering team is going to do a fantastic job tomorrow and we can bring home another podium finish.”
The No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R will start from sixth on the grid based upon Tristan Vautier’s fast lap of 1:15.451. Loic Duval will close the race in the black and gold Cadillac.
“It was not very good,” Vautier said. “We made some changes before the session, and we didn’t go in the right direction. Actually, took a step back. We have a decent idea of what to go back on for the race. Qualifying and the race are two different things as there is a lot of tire degradation in the race. So hopefully we will be strong on the long runs. Disappointed in the result, but not the effort. It will make us even hungrier for the race.”
Cadillac WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Qualifying Results:
3. No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen, 1:15.026
5. No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Felipe Nasr, Pipo Derani, 1:15.384
6. No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval, 1:15.451
The IMSA WeatherTech Championship Hyundai Sports Car Championship from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will be broadcast live on NBCSN Sunday, Sept. 12 starting at 4 p.m. ET. Flag-to-flag coverage is also live on TrackPass and the NBC Sports App with the radio broadcast available on RadioLeMans.com.
Image credit: Cadillac/Richard Prince
Cadillac DPi-V.R racing history, 2021, Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins at Road America. Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins the WeatherTech 240 at The Glen. Chip Ganassi Racing won their first race with Cadillac at the Detroit Grand Prix. The Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R won the Sebring 12 hours. In the season opener Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Ally Cadillac team placed second with NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson.
The 2020 season saw the Konica Minolta Cadillac team win the season opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and post a win at Petit Le Mans. The Whelen Engineering team won Sebring in July. The Konica Minolta Cadillac team won the IMSA Endurance Cup championship.
In 2019 Konica Minolta Cadillac took the win at the season opening Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona, the Whelen Engineering Cadillac squad followed that up by winning the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The Mustang Sampling Cadillac team also posted a win at Long Beach on the year.
The 2018 season saw the Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R win the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona; Cadillac won the IMSA Prototype Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win IMSA Prototype Drivers' Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins the IMSA Prototype Team Championship; Cadillac wins Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win TPNAEC Drivers' Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins TPNAEC team championship.
In 2017 Cadillac teams won every title in the inaugural season of the IMSA DPi formula including: Cadillac wins DPi manufacturer championship; Cadillac wins TPNAEC (Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup) manufacturer title; Jordan and Ricky Taylor 2017 IMSA WeatherTech DPi driver champions; Konica Minolta Cadillac team champions; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque won the TPNAEC DPi driver championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac won the TPNAEC DPi team championship; Whelen Engineering drivers Dane Cameron and Eric Curran finish second in the driver's championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi finish third in the driver's championship; Cadillac teams combine to win seven races in 2017: Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, Circuit of the Americas, Detroit, Watkins Glen, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
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