WEC qualifying: Cadillac occupies Rows 2, 3 at Spa

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R earned the highest qualifying position of its maiden FIA World Endurance Championship season and its sister No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R was the surprise of the 13-car Hypercar field during the 15-minute session for the Six Hours of Spa.

Earl Bamber negotiated the tricky 7.004km (4.35-mile), 20-turn Spa-Francorchamps circuit on a damp and chilly afternoon to record a best lap of 2 minutes, 01.043 seconds – only two-tenths off the lap time of the pole-winning effort of the No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing – to claim the outside of Row 2 for the third round of the championship.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R had previously qualified fifth at Sebring and eighth at Portugal and has advanced more positions (five) that any other Hypercar in the two races.

The No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R, co-driven by Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook, was also second quick in the morning free practice session.

The No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R, making its WEC debut this weekend, qualified fifth with Sebastien Bourdais behind the wheel with a best lap of 2:02.138. Bourdais and co-drivers Renger van der Zande and Jack Aitken had only put 35 laps on the brand-new racecar in the three free practice sessions.

The Six Hours of Spa is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. ET / 12:45 p.m. Central European time Saturday. MotorTrend and MotorTrend Plus will provide both live television and streaming coverage in the U.S.. Radio Le Mans will stream audio coverage of the race. Live streaming is also available through a subscription on the FIA WEC app.

Additionally, a one-of-a-kind viewing experience is available via the cockpit camera in the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R. WATCH

No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R

Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Richard Westbrook

Bamber drove in the 15-minute qualifying session (qualified fourth with lap of 2 minutes, 01.043 seconds; seven total laps): “We’ve been working and working, and I think today was really good with P2 in practice three and not far off the pole. To be honest, we’re building more and more and that is what this team is all about. Again today, two-tenths from pole, now we start to show what we can do. It’s the hard work of the guys between Portugal and now, and we’re not going to stop until we get there.”

No. 3 Cadillac V-Series.R

Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, Jack Aitken

Bourdais drove in the 15-minute qualifying session (qualified fifth with lap of 2 minutes, 2.138 seconds; six total laps): “Obviously, not having any clue of what the balance was going to be, not having actually run that tire before, I think we can be pretty happy with the result. We’ll take a good look at the data and try to make it good for the long runs.”