Whilst the deep background rumours had been around for a while, there’s always more than a minor sense of surprise when a long-term factory driver shifts to another marque – and somehow it is more surprising when that move comes from Porsche, and more surprising still when the driver concerned is a double Le Mans winner, IMSA class Champion, and overall FIA WEC World Drivers Champion.
Nonetheless, that’s precisely what has come about for Earl Bamber with a full-season drive in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship in the #02 Cadillac Racing DPi, the effort fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing, and, a clear commitment from his new employers to an assured future in the new era of sportscar racing.
“It was always a goal to try to get back into prototype racing. And in the middle of last year, Chip Ganassi Racing gave me a call.
“In the world of motorsport, there’s only a handful of teams that you’d ever want to drive for as a dream for a driver, and Chip Ganassi Racing is one of them.
“So I flew up to the shop and met the guys and got on with them really well, and now here we are six or seven months later, lining up in Daytona.
“I’ve obviously done a bit of a warm-up, or a pre-race at Petit Le Mans, which was a little bit unexpected (after Kevin Magnussen was counted out of the race having fallen unwell), but really good to get that under the belt, and I was just really excited to join the team.
“It’s quite refreshing to join them. They’re obviously pushing for the future as well. And to join Alex (Lynn) for the full season, and, to have guys of the quality of Kevin and Marcus for this one is amazing too.
“I’m really looking forward to having a chance to go for a win overall here because I would say the Daytona 24 is one that’s missing from myself in GT, but it’s also one that’s missing overall. So we’ve got a really good shot this week, and I’m really just looking forward to it”
There’s an inevitable question about Porsche. It’s long been seen as being very much a long-term gig for a professional driver. I take it you’ve got a deal here that’s put a smile on your face despite the fact it meant you walking away from Porsche?
“I’d been there for quite some years and I just felt it was a good moment as well, to try something new and different. I think it’s, for me, personally,the right place to be at the moment. And like I said, I’m looking forward to the challenge of what we’re doing in DPI and looking forward to seeing what the future brings as well. I think we’re going to go into a real golden era of sports car racing that we haven’t seen in a long time.
“I’ll still do some GT races. Don’t worry about that!
With Porsche?
“In a Porsche. If I word it right!
“It gives me the flexibility of a bit of best of both worlds. So I’m looking forward to the season, looking forward to the other races in the schedule as well. So that can’t be announced yet, but you’ll work that out in due course.
“It’s nice and refreshing. Nice to be back in a DPI and a prototype. These cars are phenomenal in America. We had the LMP1 and yes, they are slower than LMP1 but it is awesome to drive these cars on the tracks in America. It’s such a quick car, and it brings a smile to your face every single time you get into the car.”
The team you are now with has a plan, it’s not a unique plan but it is unusual, in that they will contest parallel programmes in the WEC and in IMSA from next year. Do you know where the plan is for you?
“No, they haven’t told us anything of where everyone’s going for 2023. At the moment. everyone’s just focused on ’22, and right now focused on this race. But no, they haven’t told us anything of that plan yet.
How much testing have you actually had with the DPi?
“I did a test in August at Road America, then I did another two days at Road, Atlanta, then obviously did the race, replacing Kevin and then we did two days down here.
“So we’ve had a fair bit of preparation. But obviously, you can never be prepared enough to jump into the 24. And obviously, the 24 for the team it’s been a big growth to go to two cars.
“Having to present yourself at the biggest race of the year for the championship first up is obviously a big challenge. But you know, the guys have done phenomenally well in the shop. Everyone’s excited over what’s going on. So there’s a really good vibe. Everyone’s pushing at the moment. And now we just can’t wait to get into it and go racing.
We’ve now seen the first LMDH car, the Porsche. Do you yet know when you’re first getting your hands on ‘your’ car?
“I have an idea. I’m not sure I’m the right person to ask, but I have an idea.
“It is going to be a golden era. We talked in those terms when we had Porsche, Audi, and Toyota together in LMP1. But I think we’re approaching an era we haven’t seen for years and years and years. It’s not too fanciful to imagine 25 cars turning up at Daytona next year, what a spectacle that could be, in the top class, vying for overall honours.
“And we shouldn’t forget GT racing which is incredibly strong right now, which I think is really, really good for the sport. In general.”
We’ve got 35 GTD cars here. That’s pretty spectacular.
“It is spectacular. And if you ever look at the strength of the championship, here at Daytona with 61 cars, and this is supposed to be a transition year!
“We’ve only seen these sort of numbers when IMSA had the merger. But it’s not just IMSA or WEC – it’s everywhere at the moment, Europe, SRO, it’s everywhere, the grids are packed.
“It’s really, really good for all of us in sports car racing long may that continue!”
