IMSA News: Cadillacs Lock Out GTP Front Row at Laguna Seca

MONTEREY, Calif. – May 2, 2026 marked a dominant day for Cadillac in the GTP class and poignant breakthroughs in the GT ranks as the StubHub Monterey SportsCar Championship weekend continued at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Louis Deletraz delivered the Motul Pole Award for Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, lapping the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit in 1 minute, 13.221 seconds (110.033 mph) aboard the No. 40 Cadillac V-Series.R he shares with Jordan Taylor. Jack Aitken made it a Cadillac front-row sweep for the Whelen-backed No. 31 entry with a 1:13.501 (109.614 mph). The two V-Series.Rs had paced practice sessions all weekend, and their qualifying speed underlined Cadillac’s resurgence at Round 4 of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The top seven GTP cars were covered by just 0.855 seconds, with four manufacturers represented in the top six. Nick Yelloly placed third in the No. 93 Acura ARX-06 (1:13.696), followed by Dries Vanthoor in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 (1:13.735). Deletraz, a past Laguna Seca winner in LMP2, called the result “a great reward” for the team’s steady progress after a learning year with the Cadillac.

“Obviously it’s awesome to get the Motul Pole Award, especially at a track like this where overtaking is really hard,” Deletraz said. “The car has been consistently strong, and I think today was a good reward for everyone… I’m pretty sure we can stay up there and fight for the win. We just have to execute tomorrow and do a good race with no mistakes.”

GT Classes Deliver Drama and Heartfelt Moments

In GTD PRO, Jack Hawksworth put the veteran No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 on pole with a 1:21.228 (99.187 mph) — his second consecutive Motul Pole Award and the 16th of his IMSA career, tying the all-time mark. The pole carried extra weight after news broke of the passing of Alex Zanardi, longtime friend and former teammate of team co-owner Jimmy Vasser.

“This is a super special one,” Hawksworth said. “We’ve kind of struggled here… I’m super pumped for all of it. To be starting on the pole on such a day — I know Jimmy’s emotional, as you’d expect.”

Neil Verhagen came within 0.257 seconds in the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO wearing a striking 1975 BMW CSL throwback livery, with seven different manufacturers filling the top seven GTD PRO positions.

In GTD, Lorenzo Patrese delivered Conquest Racing’s first IMSA pole since 2012, turning a 1:21.441 (98.927 mph) in the No. 34 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO on his sixth lap. Danny Formal missed the top spot by a razor-thin 0.022 seconds in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, while Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello placed third in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin. Patrese, son of former F1 winner Riccardo Patrese and a friend of Zanardi’s family, noted the emotional backdrop.

“Happy to start on pole on such a day,” Patrese said. “It’s very nice in the world of motorsport remembering him.”

Looking Ahead

The two-hour, 40-minute feature race is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET Sunday, May 3. Live coverage airs flag-to-flag on Peacock (U.S.), with international viewers able to watch via IMSA.TV and the official IMSA YouTube channel. NBCSN also carries the broadcast starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Laguna Seca’s tight, elevation-changing layout and high tire wear promise a strategic battle, but Cadillac’s practice pace, the Lexus team’s breakthrough, and the GT fields’ tight margins set the stage for an exciting Sunday afternoon in Monterey.

IMSA Qualifying Results