Race Preview: 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R will welcome its sister racecar to form a formidable Hypercar duo this week at Spa-Francorchamps.

The Cadillacs will take on the 7.004km (4.35-mile), 20-turn circuit that hosted its inaugural car race in 1922 and has been part of every WEC season.

The No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Vande and Jack Aitken, will make its FIA World Endurance Championship debut in the Six Hours of Spa.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook, has finished fourth in each of the two rounds of the season. The first-year WEC team has advanced a total of five positions, more than twice as many as any other Hypercar entry, from its qualifying spots.

Cadillac is tied for third in the WEC Manufacturer Championship.

The gold No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, running as the No. 01 in IMSA, earned a podium finish in the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona in January and qualified second and third in the succeeding races.

“Cadillac and Chip Ganassi Racing believe that we are stronger when we race multiple cars on any given race weekend,” said Mike O’Gara, director of operations for Chip Ganassi Racing which campaigns the Nos. 2 and 3 entries. “The Spa event will serve as a much-needed dress rehearsal for the Le Mans 24-hour race. It will be a great opportunity for our ‘IMSA regulars’ to be immersed in the WEC rules and race procedures in anticipation of the big event in June.”

Earl Bamber (No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R): “Really looking forward to Spa. It’s one of my favorite tracks in Europe and I’ve spent a lot of time there. Won one of my first big races in Europe there in Porsche Mobil 1 Super Cup, so I really looking forward to going back there especially with this Cadillac. I think we’re making strides as a team. We’re learning the WEC and I think we’ll continue to improve. Two cars will be a challenge for Chip Ganassi Racing, but it’s all in preparation to bring three for Le Mans. Obviously for us, being year one, it’s all about Le Mans mainly because it’s our first season. You saw with the Corvette program first time coming to Le Mans there’s a lot to learn. We’ve got the true test at Spa. They say Spa is the closest representation with the downforce level ahead of Le Mans.” 

Renger van der Zande (No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R): “The Spa track is very technical from a driver’s perspective and the setup is crucial to set it up for the high speed because that’s where all the time is and we don’t have many tracks like that in North America -- maybe only Mosport, so it’s a good practice for that and obviously Le Mans. It’s special for me personally to drive from home in my own Cadillac, drive to Spa, have a race there so close to my home with my American team and Cadillac. It’s only about Le Mans and I think that race is a way to get into the groove of the WEC rules.”