Filipe Albuquerque arrives at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for his 12th consecutive drive at the French classic.
The Portuguese driver, who turns 40 during race week, took the LMP2 class win for United Autosports in 2020, a high point in a lengthy career aboard LMP2 machinery. And although a two-time FIA WEC LMP2 champion, and a three-time winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, with two outright victories, the seasoned Platinum driver is still chasing the overall win at Le Sarthe.
Returning to the top prototype class at Le Mans for the first time since his seat with Audi in 2015, the now Platinum graded driver’s place in the Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing squad brings Albuquerque back into the overall fight for honours, after a fast-moving ten years that has brought him full circle.
“I think it’s a good example of the way that you need to be in motorsport. You need to be at the right time and the right moment. And I entered with the right foot in Le Mans. I was the best rookie and was going well in the first two seasons, learning as much as I could from Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, the old generation, the previous generation: so wise and so different from the new generation.
“Back then, they were looking at saving cars. Nowadays, I need to adapt to that mentality of like destroying the car over kerbs because the car can handle it.”
As the Audi factory drive just seemed to be peaking, corporate priorities stopped play.
“Just when I was ready to be doing a full season, the program died… and I was definitely in the right car. Unfortunately, my manufacturer just, you know, went out, which happens.
“Year after year, I tried to come back to the main category, but it was literally no seats. I was not on the right time or right moment. And eventually I won LMP2, which three, four years ago was the most competitive category out there, with 20 cars with a lot of the same drivers I’m going to be racing this week. It’s going to be the same drivers, just different cars, just a bit faster on the straights. So, it’s a good example of like, sometimes you don’t control your career even if you’re doing the right job…
“And then I signed again for a manufacturer in the top class (Acura in the IMSA series): but again, the only one that never raced at Le Mans – come on, how unlucky am I choosing that one…?”
“So now I’m in the right car, and Cadillac is doing Le Mans. I cannot tell you how happy and excited I am. Just go around the paddock; the level of everything is so impressive. But also, the level of Cadillac too.
“The effort they are putting into these four cars is so impressive, it actually gives me goosebumps. It shows me they are not holding anything back. And from the driver’s point of view, this is just a joy, because then you are fully committed to honour that commitment. The organisation, the hospitality… everything is on point.
“It’s the first time for Wayne Taylor, but again, we are drinking all the experience of just being here.”
Cadillac’s four-car assault on this year’s race extends the Hertz Team Jota FIA WEC effort with a brace of IMSA GTP campaigners. Whereas the #311 Whelen entry has experience here from 2023 and 2024, the Wayne Taylor Racing entry is here for an overdue first appearance.
But with team principal Wayne Taylor returning for the first time since his appearance as a driver a quarter of a century ago, this time it’s a family affair. His boys Ricky and Jordan, both regular and successful Le Mans pilots, form a formidable crew with Albuquerque in the #101 V-Series.R.
“There is a lot of passion in the team,” explains Albuquerque. “Since I joined Wayne Taylor Racing and got to know Wayne, he is a passionate person, super committed to results, emotional as much as me, maybe more even, really, he is a very emotional person. But at the end of the day, it’s beautiful because he’s just says exactly what is on his mind. So, you know what to expect – he is not a fake person.
“I have an especially great relationship with Ricky. We’ve been working now for four years, it’s become like I’m not going to be driving with anyone else for the rest of my career, him neither. So, it’s a special connection we have. And yeah, and again, there’s Jordan. And I think my thinking was, ‘if you take Ricky, I go. If you don’t take Ricky, I might not go’. That connection was there. And I think Wayne knows that in a way of joking, but also in a way of being serious.”
Relationships and passion aside, Cadillac’s attack at Le Mans this year is very much a combined effort:
“There’s a good exchange of information, completely. It’s one team, different colours: that’s it, and different numbers on the car. The rest, it’s completely open between us.
“But today I’m enjoying this time. Literally, I just woke up this morning and sent a picture to my wife saying, just, I am so happy. I’m just so happy being around here again. I’ve been doing it for the last 11 years, but in the top class, it’s still a notch. It’s still a huge step and a huge commitment for everyone around.”
Featured image courtesy of Filipe Albuquerque
