Cadillac has a golden opportunity to follow in the wheeltracks of fellow US automotive giant Ford next weekend (10-14 June), by adding its name to the list of winners of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans – the eagerly-anticipated third instalment of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign.
Despite qualifying right up at the sharp end for each of the latest three editions of the twice-round-the-clock contest – locking out the front row of the grid 12 months ago as it registered the first pole position for an American carmaker at Le Mans since 1967 – the Cadillac V-Series.R has yet to convert that palpable potential into victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
This year, the GM-owned brand is determined to set the record straight – and you can enjoy every moment of its on-track endeavours live on FIAWEC+. For the first time, the series’ official streaming platform boasts the added benefit of no geo-blocking, meaning North America-based fans can more easily lap up all of the exhilarating action.
Out of luck in the opening two rounds of the season at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps after demonstrating podium-challenging pace on both occasions, Cadillac will be particularly fired-up to get a result on the board in the event known as ‘the big one’.
The two full-time Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA Hypercars – the #12 piloted by Will Stevens, Norman Nato and Louis Delétraz and the sister #38 V-Series.R shared by Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken and Le Mans-born Sébastien Bourdais – will be joined for the race’s 94th running by guesting IMSA cousin, Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, whose #101 entry will be crewed by Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque.
Five of the nine drivers have previously triumphed at La Sarthe – Bamber overall in 2015 and 2017, with Bourdais, Stevens, Albuquerque and Taylor all counting class victories on their career CVs. They are hoping that combined experience – allied to an upgraded aero configuration aimed at improving efficiency in traffic – will reap dividends.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to Le Mans,” enthused Stevens. “We come off the back of a strong showing last year. We knew the areas we needed to work on, and we have had 12 months to do so. We feel well-prepared to see where we stack up compared to the other teams. As an event, nothing else comes close, so let’s hope my 11th Le Mans can be a special one.”
“There has been lots of preparation from the entire team,” echoed hometown hero, Bourdais. “It’s been a colossal effort to get everything ready. Hats off to everybody – they’ve done really, really well and we keep learning every time we are on-track. Now, it’s time to see what we really have going to Le Mans.
“I think we are all excited but at the same time a little bit apprehensive because obviously when you put in so much effort with so many people, you really hope that work gets rewarded. I’m looking forward to the big one.”
The event will also notably mark 60 years since Ford famously defeated Ferrari in a no-holds-barred duel that would attract the attention of Hollywood. That win represented the first for an American manufacturer at Le Mans, and was backed up by three more in consecutive appearances at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Not only that, but it sparked an iconic rivalry that is set to be reignited next season, when Ford will bolster FIA WEC’s burgeoning Hypercar ranks. In the meantime, the ‘Blue Oval’ continues to compete in the fiercely-disputed LMGT3 category with a pair of fan-favourite Mustangs, one of which is driven by ex-Formula 1 racer, Logan Sargeant, who will graduate to the marque’s new Hypercar line-up in 2027.
Like Cadillac’s V-Series.R, the Proton Competition-fielded Mustangs have shown plenty of promise this season, with both cars leading last time out at Spa-Francorchamps prior to running into misfortune. Could next weekend witness their big breakthrough?
To find out, make sure you tune into FIAWEC+. Every session of race week – from Free Practice through Qualifying and Hyperpole to the full 24-hour race – will be streamed live and on-demand, ad-free, so you never have to choose between watching and waiting.
With live on-board cameras, Live Timing Pro, real-time data and full race replays, FIAWEC+ brings you closer to Le Mans than any broadcast can, putting viewers at the heart of every strategy call, every overtake and every moment that shapes the result – keeping you up-to-speed from lights-out right the way through to the chequered flag.
