Petit GTD Pro chance with DragonSpeed is a new IMSA turn for Bourdais

Sébastien Bourdais is looking at his one-off drive for DragonSpeed at this weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans as a great opportunity to add to his strong track record at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta while he assesses his future sports car options.

“Anthony (Megevand, DragonSpeed sporting director) called me up and asked if I was interested in driving with them for the weekend, and for me, it was a no-brainer,” Bourdais said. “I didn’t have a drive this weekend and have never driven a GT3, and you know, everything is on the table for next year. It’s just another opportunity to discover the class and see how it goes…and maybe generate something for next year.”

As Bourdais returns to IMSA for the first time since this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, his name is one of the most prominent in this year’s silly season for worldwide sports car racing.

RACER’s Marshall Pruett reported back in August that Bourdais’ time with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA in the FIA World Endurance Championship will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2026 season, and there are many questions about where the 47-year-old Frenchman will be racing in 2027.

“To be honest, I don’t really have a clear picture of what’s laying ahead,” Bourdais admitted at Road Atlanta. “Right now, I’m not really putting priority on P2s or whatever. I think it’s more what the program is going to be about, and the fit with whatever could come around.

“I’m just really coming here with a very open mind as far as what could be next, and also not focusing too much on next year. Just trying to enjoy the weekend, and hopefully have a good result.”

Bourdais was the overall winner of Petit Le Mans in 2024 with the Chip Ganassi Racing-run Cadillac Racing crew, in what was Ganassi’s last IMSA race. He joins a DragonSpeed team which is also set to depart IMSA after Petit Le Mans, but not before moving up from GTD to GTD Pro with Bourdais, Casper Stevenson and Giacomo Altoè behind the wheel of its No. 74 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

The Frenchman's current relationship with GM, dating back to 2012, was not a factor in Bourdais linking up with the Corvette customer team. “It has nothing to do with GM, purely that DragonSpeed just had an opening and they wanted a Pro,” he explained.

“It’s a bit of a weird spot to be in, with the situation in WEC. But you know, we’ll see what comes around – or not. They’re looking at things on their end, and I’m obviously looking at things on my end, just to see what’s available, and what could happen.”