In the thick of a dual programme for Cadillac Racing in both IMSA and the FIA World Endurance Championship, Jack Aitken finds himself in a comfortable position atop the IMSA WeatherTech GTP standings, along with his Cadillac Whelen (Action Express Racing) team which has now won its last two races.
With the goal of his first IMSA title in sight, Aitken said in the build-up to this weekend’s six-hour endurance race at Road America, “It would obviously be fantastic, because to win any championship of that scale – IMSA’s, I think, right up there in the racing world, not just in the endurance or sports car world. And it’s a championship that I enjoy racing with, that would mean a lot as well.
“I would be over the moon if we can do it, and very proud of what we’ve achieved. But I will still be very proud, even if we don’t do it!”
Led by Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Michelin Endurance Cup specialist Frederik Vesti, the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R has been the class of the entire Cadillac Racing prototype fleet not just this year, but going back to the end of 2025. They ended last season with back-to-back victories, and in 2026 with the updated V-Series.R, the team has amassed podiums in every race, won twice, and taken three pole positions.
“Obviously, we’re in a pretty good groove at the moment as a team,” Aitken continued. “I think we’ve had some good progress this year with the Evo update on the Cadillacs as well. It was a lot of hard work in the off-season to get that ready, and doing what we wanted it to do, and that’s helped.”
Throughout 2026, Aitken has performed brilliantly – both for Action Express in IMSA, and for Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA in the WEC. Taking on a dual programme for Cadillac this year, with the benefits of additional race and track time, have been a great benefit for him, as it’s been for Bamber since last year.
“It’s been massively helpful, because at the end of the day, it gives me and Earl something that you can’t really get these days, which is more track time,” Aitken said.
“I feel like it’s taken my driving to another level this year. I saw the same with Earl when he partnered with us for the first time last year; he was driving extremely well.
“And he brings a lot of knowledge outside the car that was very helpful and helped to align a lot of the teams. Helping everyone on the Cadillac program to centralize all of that and pick the best of the bunch is really important for the progression of the program, I think. More track time is never a bad thing, and I do feel like I’ve benefitted from it.
Now in his fourth season as a Cadillac Racing driver, and his third as a full-season driver in IMSA, Aitken gained a new perspective on how to personally evaluate success with the miles and minutes he’s logged. “You can only do what’s in your control, and I’m taking more and more pleasure these days from doing those things well,” he said.
“That means that you don’t take the DNFs or the bad results quite as hard, when you feel like you’ve done your job. But it also means that when you win, you’re a bit more circumspect about it.”
If there were any doubts or reservations on whether Aitken could perform at the level needed for Cadillac Whelen to remain successful after Pipo Derani left for Genesis, some were answered last year when Aitken rocketed from eighth to second in the championship in the last two races. And many more have been answered throughout 2026, as Aitken has been undeniably one of top-tier prototype drivers across both championships.
He drove brilliantly at Le Mans this year, and along with the crew of the #38 JOTA Cadillac, was bitterly unlucky not to challenge for the victory late in the race due to a mechanical failure.
Over in IMSA, Cadillac Whelen has finished on the podium in the last eight races, a remarkable run in the modern era of Balance of Performance.
Aitken is at peace knowing that this weekend’s Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix could be the race which ends the streak, so long as at the end of the year, he and the Action Express team will put together the results needed to take the title from Porsche Penske Motorsport after a two-year reign.
“I don’t think we are in a position where we’re really desperately trying to hold on to a streak,” he admitted. “It’s a great thing to have, but the reality is, we’re coming into every weekend trying to do the best job we can.
“Part of that (streak) is down to fortune and a bit of good luck here and there. There are definitely times where we probably shouldn’t have finished on the podium or been on the top step, and we somehow managed it. I believe in balancing, that the stuff all balances out in the long run…so I’ll probably have some bad luck at some point!”
“The streak will end at some point. I don’t know if it’ll be this weekend, with a hat trick of fourth places, or if we can keep it going even longer. But we feel good – and just want to keep enjoying it.
“We’re working well… why would we change anything at the moment?”
Images © Jack Webster, Peter ‘Pedro’ May / dailysportscar.com
