Cadillac’s Bourdais Doubts Race Prospects After Hyperpole Success at Le Mans

LE MANS, France — Despite securing a front-row lockout during the Hyperpole session for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Cadillac driver Sébastien Bourdais expressed skepticism about the team’s chances for the race this weekend. Bourdais’s comments came after the #38 Cadillac V-Series.R qualified second, while the #12 Cadillac, driven by Alex Lynn, took pole position with a time of 3:23.166.

Cadillac showed strong performance in both Hyperpole sessions, but Bourdais highlighted ongoing concerns about their competitors potentially hiding performance during qualifying. “Some people aren’t showing what they’re doing, what they can do,” he claimed, casting doubt on rivals Toyota and Ferrari, who struggled in qualifying.

In Hyperpole 1, Bourdais and fellow driver Earl Bamber finished fastest in their Cadillac but expressed frustration over being outpaced on the straights during race conditions. “If they could just give us a little chance to fight in a laptime-neutral way, it would be nice,” said Bourdais.

Although the Cadillac team has displayed consistent long-run pace in practice, Bourdais remains cautious about their race strategy. He acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “If nothing happens to anyone, the top five is difficult to contend for.”

With three Ferraris in contention and strong competition from Toyota and Porsche, Bourdais emphasized the importance of reliability and tire performance to succeed over 24 hours. He remarked, “It would be great if we got a podium finish, but there are three Ferraris already, so it’s tricky.”

As the race approaches, the Cadillac team hopes to translate their qualifying success into a favorable outcome but is aware of the uphill battle they face against veteran teams.