News Summary

Cadillac has confirmed a major reshuffle of its World Endurance Championship driver line-up for 2027, replacing Alex Lynn and Sébastien Bourdais with António Félix da Costa and Ricky Taylor in the two-car Hertz Team JOTA Hypercar programme.

The American manufacturer announced the changes on Thursday, October 15, ending Lynn’s long association with Cadillac and Bourdais’ two-season spell with JOTA while introducing two experienced drivers with established connections to the organisation.

Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Norman Nato and Will Stevens will remain, giving Cadillac four returning drivers alongside its two new recruits.

The announcement comes as the team prepares for the final two rounds of the 2026 championship, beginning with the 6 Hours of Barcelona this weekend.

Da Costa returns to JOTA after Alpine departure

Da Costa’s appointment reunites the Portuguese driver with the team where he enjoyed some of the most successful years of his endurance-racing career.

He competed for JOTA between 2019 and 2023, initially in LMP2 before moving into Hypercar competition. His achievements included the 2022 WEC LMP2 championship and a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The former Formula E world champion returned to the WEC in 2026 with Alpine, but will now move to Cadillac for the following season.

His experience with JOTA should reduce the adaptation required, although the Cadillac V-Series.R represents a different technical package from the prototypes he previously drove for the British team.

Da Costa described the reunion as particularly meaningful.

“It feels really special to be coming back to JOTA,” he said, recalling the achievements and relationships established during his previous spell.

The Portuguese driver said his ambition was to help Cadillac challenge for victories and championships, rather than simply return to familiar surroundings.

His arrival also strengthens the programme’s connection with Formula E, where he continues to compete. A scheduling conflict between the 2027 Formula E round in Shanghai and the WEC’s 6 Hours of São Paulo means da Costa is expected to miss the Brazilian endurance race.

That creates an additional driver-management consideration for Cadillac, which will need to account for his absence at Interlagos.

Ricky Taylor takes on first full-time WEC campaign

The second new arrival is Ricky Taylor, one of Cadillac’s most experienced drivers in North American sports-car racing.

The 37-year-old American has spent much of his career competing in IMSA, winning two championship titles and accumulating 32 victories and 76 podium finishes.

Taylor already knows Cadillac’s V-Series.R from his programme with Wayne Taylor Racing and gained direct experience with JOTA during the 2026 WEC round at Circuit of the Americas.

His move represents an expansion rather than a departure from the manufacturer’s North American activities. Taylor will continue racing in IMSA alongside Filipe Albuquerque while adding a full WEC campaign.

That arrangement will allow Cadillac to benefit from a driver with substantial knowledge of the V-Series.R across two major championships.

“I’m incredibly honoured to be joining Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA for the 2027 season,” Taylor said.

The American explained that competing in a full world championship season represents an opportunity he had not previously experienced, despite his extensive success in IMSA.

His familiarity with Cadillac’s engineers, drivers and management should also help him integrate into the JOTA operation.

Cadillac parts ways with Lynn after historic WEC achievements

The departures of Lynn and Bourdais are significant because both played important roles in Cadillac’s development as a Hypercar manufacturer.

Lynn joined Cadillac’s prototype programme in 2023 and helped establish the American marque as a competitive force in the WEC.

The Briton was responsible for several standout qualifying performances, including pole position at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He also shared Cadillac’s first overall WEC victory with Stevens and Nato at the 2025 6 Hours of São Paulo, a landmark achievement for the manufacturer.

Lynn has missed the opening six rounds of the 2026 season after undergoing neck surgery and is scheduled to return to competition at Barcelona this weekend.

The 33-year-old acknowledged the significance of his time with Cadillac and JOTA.

“I’ve had an amazing time with JOTA over the past two years and with Cadillac Racing over the last five years,” Lynn said.

He highlighted the programme’s first overall Le Mans podium, its breakthrough WEC victory in Brazil and his four pole positions as some of the achievements he valued most.

The Briton also confirmed his intention to give everything during his final two races with the team.

Bourdais leaves JOTA while Bamber remains

Bourdais’ departure ends his two-season spell with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA, during which the experienced Frenchman contributed to the development and competitiveness of the V-Series.R.

The former Champ Car champion brought extensive knowledge of prototype racing, technical development and endurance competition to the programme.

Bourdais said he was proud of the team’s progress and would remain focused on delivering strong results in Barcelona and the season finale.

His departure does not mean Cadillac is abandoning experienced drivers. The manufacturer will retain Bamber, Stevens, Nato and Aitken, while adding two established endurance competitors.

Bamber’s continuation is particularly noteworthy because Cadillac has simultaneously confirmed a reduction in his IMSA programme.

The New Zealander will move from a full-season IMSA role to endurance-only duties with Action Express Racing, while Frederik Vesti takes over as Jack Aitken’s regular teammate in the No. 31 Cadillac.

The arrangement allows Bamber to maintain his full WEC commitment while continuing to contribute to Cadillac’s North American endurance programme.

Aitken will also remain active in both championships, defending his IMSA GTP title while racing for JOTA in the WEC.

His 2026 championship was unusual because he became IMSA’s sole GTP drivers’ champion despite sharing his Cadillac with Bamber and Vesti, whose partial programmes prevented them from matching his points total.

Cadillac targets WEC title with revised Hypercar squad

Cadillac’s decision brings together drivers with different strengths and backgrounds.

Da Costa offers experience from JOTA’s previous LMP2 championship campaign and a career that includes success in Formula E. Taylor brings a proven IMSA record and direct knowledge of Cadillac’s current prototype, while the four returning drivers provide continuity.

Team director Sam Hignett welcomed the two arrivals, emphasising that both drivers were already familiar with the organisation.

“We’re incredibly excited about our driver line-up for 2027,” Hignett said.

Cadillac’s global motorsport competition vice-president Eric Warren also praised the experience and technical knowledge brought by the newcomers, describing teamwork and chemistry as essential to success in endurance racing.

The manufacturer enters the next season seeking to build on its previous WEC breakthroughs, including the 2025 victory at Interlagos and its podium performances at Le Mans.

The current campaign remains unfinished. Cadillac will contest the 6 Hours of Barcelona on October 18 before the final round at Imola in November, with Lynn and Bourdais completing their commitments to the team.

GRANDE PRÊMIO continues to follow the Hypercar championship, including the 2026 WEC title battle, through its WEC coverage.