Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s Earl Bamber is no stranger to the undulating 5.5km layout of the Circuit of The Americas in Texas.
Since making his debut there in the 2014 Porsche Supercup, claiming second and fourth place finishes on the way to that year’s title, the Kiwi has ticked off podiums across multiple categories: second in WEC’s LMGTE Am class in 2015, IMSA GTLM victory in 2016, LMP1 win in 2017 on the road to a world championship, and a top-four result with Cadillac in 2024.
Now, as co-driver of the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R alongside Sébastien Bourdais and Jenson Button, Bamber travels to Austin for the sixth round of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship with the team riding a wave of confidence.
A seventh-place finish at Le Mans for the trio, followed by a runner-up result in São Paulo, part of Cadillac’s first-ever WEC 1–2, has vaulted the manufacturer to second in the constructors’ standings ahead of its home race. Expectations for General Motors’ flagship factory programme in the WEC have never been higher.
“COTA really suits the Cadillac,” Bamber explains. “The high-speed esses play to our strengths, and it’s been a good circuit for us, our best result last year. The goal now is to keep pestering that top five, chipping away and scoring big points. Fuji’s another strong track for us, so these are the weekends we have to maximise if we want to close the gap.”
Bamber believes that Cadillac’s hometown support will be a factor in creating a positive environment for the team to operate in as it eyes a second consecutive win and a first for the V-Series.R on US soil in WEC competition.
“It’s super important to be in America,” he says. “Cadillac is our home brand, and COTA’s atmosphere is incredible. Last year, the Cadillac V-Club came out in force; the fan support was huge. I’m already hearing about people planning the trip this year.”
This season marks the first full WEC campaign for JOTA Sport with Cadillac machinery, and Bamber feels the Sam Hignett, David Clark and Dieter Gass-led programme has advanced rapidly since its rollercoaster debut at Qatar back in February.
“When we started in ’23, we grabbed a podium, but now we’re so much further ahead,” he says. “A 1–2 in qualifying at Le Mans, fastest lap of the race, the pace is there. Getting our first WEC win this year probably exceeded everyone’s expectations. Once you know you can win, the second one usually comes quicker.”
With the expanded driver roster in the WEC this year, and a larger focus from the new programme boss Keely Bosn on a ‘One Cadillac’ approach involving all three partner teams across IMSA and WEC, Bamber says the collective experience has been crucial. With Action Express and Wayne Taylor Racing working hand in hand with JOTA throughout the year, the British team has found it easier to get up to speed with the V-Series.R package.
“Everyone brings something unique,” he notes. “The openness between all the Cadillac teams, sharing data, sim work, everything, has really ramped up performance. We’re not finished yet; maybe we’re just warming up.”
Lone Star Le Mans won’t be Bamber’s first race with Cadillac in the USA this year, far from it. The Kiwi has also been representing General Motors as part of his IMSA GTP campaign with Action Express Racing throughout the season. He says the cadence of the dual programme has also been a net gain, though he is still searching for silverware with the AXR team and his IMSA co-drivers Jack Aitken and Fred Vesti.
“With JOTA, we can reference what’s worked in IMSA, where the car’s been incredibly quick. At Action Express, we’re chasing that first podium and win — we’ve been close a few times. We want to finish strong this year and be a force at Daytona in ’26.”
As co-owner of a team, Earl Bamber Motorsport, he admits the team principal’s viewpoint has changed how he operates as a driver these days.
“You learn when to speak up and when to hold back because you know what the team is dealing with,” he says. “At both JOTA and Whelan Cadillac, the crews are some of the best in the business. They’ve got your back in the pits, which makes our job on track a lot easier. Like I said — we’re just warming up.”
With momentum building, home-soil motivation in Texas, and a championship push still in play, Bamber and the #38 squad see COTA not just as another race, but as a key springboard for the run-in to the WEC season finale at Bahrain in November.
Images courtesy of DPPI
