Jack Aitken expressed a combination of reduction and amusement after formally securing his first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP driver’s title the second his Motion Categorical Racing Cadillac took the inexperienced flag at Petit Le Mans.
Having prolonged his result in 151 factors after qualifying, merely crossing the beginning line on the season-ending Petit Le Mans assured the factors for Eleventh-place in GTP for the Briton and his teammates Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti.
That made it mathematically unattainable for Porsche’s Laurin Heinrich to shut the hole, clinching the title earlier than the aggressive motion even unfolded.
“Yeah, a little bit of a reduction, it has been a very long time coming. We have had a incredible yr. And to do it earlier than the race bought underway, it’s kind of of a wierd feeling,” Aitken stated.
“You’ve got undoubtedly bought one eye on the race begin, and the opposite was simply hoping that the automotive began and bought out of pit lane, which in fact it did.”
The title marks a serious profession milestone for Aitken, breaking a decade-long championship drought since profitable two System Renault 2.0 titles and the Professional Mazda single-seater championships again in 2015, and capping off a stellar rise since transitioning to American sports activities automotive racing.
#31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Collection.R: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti
Photograph by: Jake Galstad / Lumen through Getty Photos
He’s additionally the primary solo drivers’ champion in IMSA’s prime class since Jörg Bergmeister gained the 2006 Rolex Sports activities Automobile Collection title. Trying again on the American Le Mans Collection lineage, one has to return to 2002, when Tom Kristensen captured the drivers’ championship within the LMP900 class.
“I have never gained a championship in over 10 years, so I feel that is fairly an enormous milestone for me. I got here to IMSA in 2023 and I’ve loved it completely ever since. I have been with Motion Categorical and Whelen Cadillac that complete time,” Aitken stated.
“I’ve bought loads of incredible pals, household and nice work colleagues that I’ve made right here, so I am very pleased the place I’m. I am more than happy that I’ve managed to share the success with them and yeah, it means loads.”
#31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Collection.R: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti, #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Renger van der Zande
Photograph by: Jake Galstad / Lumen through Getty Photos
Regardless of having the drivers’ title locked away, Aitken emphasised that the staff’s mindset for the 10-hour finale stays unchanged: chasing a race victory to cap off a dominant marketing campaign constructed on consistency and execution, having completed on the rostrum seven instances in eight races.
“We have been on a fantastic run this yr and loads of that has been consistency,” Aitken famous. “Simply being within the podium locations and all the time choosing up factors and having a very strong race technique and a strong automotive. Not making errors, so we will try to do the identical at present.”
The opening hours at Michelin Raceway Highway Atlanta delivered typical endurance drama, with treacherous observe circumstances and frequent warning durations shuffling the GTP discipline, culminating in a crimson flag for inclement climate within the fourth hour.
“It has been fairly chaotic, even by Petit Le Mans requirements, so I am positive there’s loads left in retailer for the race. There’s a number of totally different methods occurring, however yeah, we’re simply going to attempt and ensure we’re there for the final hour after which it is gloves off,” Aitken stated.
“Very happy, we’re now within the struggle for, properly, at the very least within the podium locations. Fred’s doing a fantastic job and I’ll leap in subsequent when he is performed with this.
“[Who finishes] is TBC. I imply, it is extra trying prefer it may be Earl at this level, however there’s been a lot yellow that we’re actually unsure. We’re simply making an attempt to maintain our choices open and we’re fortunate that we have three drivers that we’re all pleased to complete, so we’ll see.”
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