Cadillac will be one of the brands that competes with an LMDh prototype in both the WEC and IMSA, with a double program on both sides of the Atlantic. With this in mind, the manufacturer linked to General Motors wanted to lay the foundations for its new competition car. And according to the words of Sébastien Bourdais, the brand has managed to ‘give birth’ a prototype that is at least equal to the DPi with which it currently competes in the United States.
Having achieved this first objective, Cadillac wants to accelerate the pace in the development of its LMDh and has designed an ambitious test program for its prototype. Laura Wontrop Klauser, General Motors competition manager, has confirmed that the brand’s objective is complete two tests per month until the homologation of the prototype and subsequent debut in the 24 Hours of Daytona. So far, the Cadillac LMDh has completed a shakedown at Putnam Park and a five-day test at the Sebring circuit.
«All the pilots who have flown the prototype have had positive comments, in addition to very constructive comments to continue with its evolution. We are proud of the work that everyone on the team has done. Our first track tests were real tests in which we managed to make a large number of laps and make everything work as planned. They were much more than some installation tests. Cadillac and Dallara struggled to lay a good foundation and their work has paid off» he explained Laura Wontrop Klauser.
The general of General Motors has added: «We want to continue improving in all areas and for this we want to do as many tests as can be scheduled. The minimum objective is to do two tests a month, something that will be possible if we share tests with other manufacturers. It is difficult to find time available in reference circuits and in the end we all have common partners such as Bosch, Williams, Michelin or Xtrac. In the end it is a way to test more efficiently, since we want to complete as many kilometers as possible».
Finally, Laura Wontrop Klauser added: «Our to-do list is very long. We have to work on reliability, integrate the operation of the engine and the hybrid technology, as well as the electronic braking system. We have to understand the tires better. The complexity of the LMDh far exceeds that of the DPi prototypes. The current situation with the supply crisis has drawn a much more complex scenario than when we developed our DPi.”
Photos: Cadillac Performance