Cadillac WEC stint ‘never felt like a day’s work’ for Lynn

Alex Lynn will bring his Cadillac chapter to a close at Monza this weekend, making his final FIA World Endurance Championship start with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA before embarking on a new challenge with McLaren’s Hypercar program ahead of its long-awaited 2027 debut.

The 33-year-old Briton’s association with General Motors dates back to 2017, when he won the Sebring 12 Hours overall on his debut with Wayne Taylor Racing in a Cadillac DPi-V.R. Since then, he has evolved from a promising single-seater talent eager to learn into an established sports car competitor and one of the most sought-after factory drivers in the Hypercar field.

His stock has risen steadily throughout the current era, first competing full-time with the Chip Ganassi Racing operation before continuing with JOTA. Through the program’s ebbs and flows, Lynn has helped it produce several standout results, including a podium at the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans, pole position at the French endurance classic in 2025 (pictured above), and a Cadillac’s first WEC victory at Interlagos later that year.

While his next assignment with McLaren brings excitement and the opportunity to write his name into the history of one of motorsport’s most storied brands, Sunday’s race will nevertheless be an emotional occasion.

After years of hard work and a difficult season spent largely on the sidelines recovering from a neck injury, Lynn will say goodbye to Cadillac, knowing his commitment to helping GM reach the summit of sports car racing never wavered.

“It’s just a lot of good vibes,“ he tells RACER. “I love driving for Cadillac, and I’m so grateful for everything we’ve done together. Of course I’m excited for the future. I’m excited in general, but after sitting out the bulk of the season it just feels nice to be racing again with a team at the highest level. I’m happy, because I get to finish it off like this; that’s my overriding emotion, and that’s all you really want in life, really.”

His first weekend back with JOTA in Barcelona following surgery did not entirely go to plan, with the No. 12 crew finishing sixth, but crucially, everything went smoothly on a personal level.

“It feels like putting on an old glove,“ he says of his return to JOTA. “Like I think when you’ve spent the thick end of 30-odd years doing one thing only – that’s your norm. So it just feels like going back to reality. It’s just been great to feel at home again. Like seeing everybody like yourself, just being in the paddock. That’s where home is, really.”

Although injury reduced his driving time this season, Lynn says the good feelings never ebbed in his time with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA. James Moy Photography/Getty Images

There is also optimism that Lynn can sign off with a strong result at Monza, where he believes Cadillac’s characteristics could prove particularly effective.

“I was there a few weeks ago in a GT3 test,“ he explains. “It’s changed since the last WEC race there, but every time there’s a resurfacing at a track, it suits the Caddy, it suits the chassis and generates so much grip. That, coupled with the Caddy’s low downforce efficient package, I’m hopeful we can be more competitive.”

Whatever the result, Lynn says he will remain “forever grateful” to GM and Cadillac for providing the opportunity to develop into the driver he is today.

“All I’ve tried to do is repay it with speed and tenacity and intensity behind the wheel,” he says. “Every time I clicked the pit limiter off, it was everything I had every day, and I think that’s the only way I could truly repay a team like this.

“I’ll miss the fun – the laughs. When I came back to Barcelona, the first morning I laughed like I hadn’t in a long time. Racing with Will (Stevens) and Norman (Nato) has been a highlight of my life, because every weekend has felt like a boys’ holiday. You almost feel a bit guilty to get paid to do this sort of thing, to go out there with two mates and try and win a world championship. It never felt like a day’s work.“

For all the friendships and experiences, one particular moment stands above the rest when Lynn looks back on his time with Cadillac – his run to pole position at Le Mans. The performance culminated years of work and development, and gave him a sense of personal achievement that went beyond the result itself.

“I’m aware it could come across as a selfish achievement to look back on,“ he admits. “But it was just a culmination of trying to do one thing, for so long, and it felt like a major step. The emotion was so raw, perhaps the most raw emotion I’ve ever felt in my life.“

That performance, along with the consistency and speed he demonstrated throughout his Cadillac tenure, helped attract McLaren’s attention during the early formation of its Hypercar program. Lynn also has an established relationship with team principal James Barclay, dating back to their time together in Formula E with Jaguar.

“We got on very well, and you know, as a team principal goes, he’s as classy as they come,“ Lynn says. “Certainly, the way he builds a team is very thorough, working very hard in the background and signing the right personnel to make our dreams come true. So, from my side, when I started to see, let’s say, who they had in place in which department. That for me was like, ‘OK, this team is gonna win. You need to decide whether you want to be on the train or not.’

“My history goes back quite a long time with (service provider) United (Autosports) as well. So, you know, with Richard (Dean), again, that almost feels like coming back, back somewhere that I’ve had such a nice time as well. So, I think all things considered, it’s just such a nice fit.“

Lynn will join an increasingly impressive McLaren line-up that, at the time of writing, also includes Mikkel Jensen, Laurens Vanthoor, Gregoire Saucy and Leonardo Fornaroli. The recruitment drive has brought together a combination of established sports car winners and emerging talent, with the intention of making an immediate impression when the program reaches the grid in 2027.

For Lynn, McLaren’s ambitions and the quality of its recruitment were important factors in the decision. So too was the opportunity to represent a British manufacturer, with the former Formula E racer set to be the first, and likely only, British driver in its full-time Hypercar line-up next year.

“They’re not messing about,“ Lynn says of McLaren’s talent evaluation. “They’ve gone for some of the quickest out there in sports car racing with the right experience as well. And I think guys at the peak of their career, you know, primed to try and win it all.

“Being British and having grown up watching Formula 1, McLaren is everything that we epitomize in taking pride in being British. It’s such an iconic brand, huge team. They stand for excellence and winning, and that’s what I’m drawn to and love; it’s also how I approach my career. I feel like it’s a great match.

“It’s a big project, and one I can’t wait to join after my time with Cadillac ends.“

The move represents another significant step in a career that has already taken Lynn through the ranks of junior formula racing, a role in Formula 1 testing, Formula E, and the highest levels of endurance racing for multiple manufacturers. At Cadillac, he has been part of the manufacturer’s return to the forefront of international sports car competition, helping establish the V-Series.R as a genuine contender in the WEC’s increasingly competitive Hypercar category.

There is little doubt that the opportunity with McLaren represents an exciting new chapter, but Lynn’s final appearance in Cadillac colors is also a reminder of the relationships and collective effort that have defined his time with the American marque.

For now, the focus is on Monza; the next challenge can wait until the checkered flag falls on Sunday. Lynn has one final weekend to enjoy with the people who have helped shape his career, and he intends to make the most of it.