Wayne Taylor Racing is positioning itself for a potential historic 24 Hours of Le Mans entry with its newly recommitted Cadillac partnership.
The team which recently transitioned back to Cadillac after a four-year hiatus, is actively pursuing an invitation to compete in the world-renowned endurance race, signaling an exciting new chapter in their racing journey.
Wayne Taylor Racing’s potential Le Mans entry comes on the heels of a strategic realignment that sees the team reuniting with Cadillac for the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship.
This move represents more than just a return to a previous partnership; it symbolizes a renewed commitment to high-performance racing and a pursuit of global motorsport excellence.
The team is currently hopeful of securing an invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with one of its Cadillac V-Series.R prototypes, a prospect that has generated huge excitement within racing circles.
Wayne Taylor Racing team owner Wayne Taylor revealed that General Motors has actively pursued multiple entries, potentially bringing up to four Cadillac Hypercars to the grid.
The potential lineup would include two entries from Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA in the full-season World Endurance Championship (WEC), with additional entries from Action Express Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing creating a formidable American presence at Le Mans.
“We’re leaving all of that to GM,” Taylor told Sportscar365. “I know they met with Pierre Fillon in Paris last Monday and I think they’ve asked for four entries.
“Obviously JOTA will get two as they’re full season [WEC]. Then there’s the 31 [car] and one of ours. I’m [hoping] one of our cars will go.”
Interestingly, the team’s Le Mans aspirations come at a time of significant organizational changes. Wayne Taylor Racing has recently concluded its two-year partnership with Andretti Global focusing instead on a continued relationship with TWG Motorsports.
This transition allows the team to maintain its current headquarters in Brownsburg, Indiana, and provides stability during their return to Cadillac and potential international racing expansion.
However, Taylor denied the Le Mans entry bid was among the major reasons behind the team’s switch back to Cadillac after a four-year IMSA WeatherTech Championship campaign with Acura.
“It did and it didn’t,” he said. “I knew in the very early days of talking to them that going to Le Mans was always going to be part of the deal.
“HRC had told me they have no intention of going. This obviously was a big decision-making thing for us as well.”
Wayne Taylor Racing’s motivation runs deep with the team owner noting that Le Mans is the only race win that’s eluded the team.
While Taylor previously won Le Mans as a driver in 1998 with a Ferrari 333 SP, the team has never competed in the overall event under the WTR banner. He also previously won in the GTE-Pro class, adding to the team’s international racing credentials.
“It’s like the only one [that’s eluded us],” he added. “Jordan and I have both won classes. He won the GTE-Pro class and I won the Prototype class with the Ferrari but not overall.
“It’s really big. But the other thing is that we’ve only just received these cars. We have to be careful we don’t jump in and not be organized enough and know enough to go because I don’t want to embarrass anybody.
“With a longer-term contract, that’s good. But we will try everything if we get that entry, to be there. Our intention is that we want to go.”
Driver selection remains a strategic consideration if Wayne Taylor Racing would be granted Le Mans entry. Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque are confirmed as “for sure” participants, with a challenging decision pending between Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz for the third driver spot.
Taylor acknowledged the complexity of the lineup selection, emphasizing the importance of team chemistry and experience.
“That’s always the question,” Taylor remarked. “As a team, we would have to go with the group that have been together for the longest, but maybe that changes. You would think that would be the way to go.”
