Copyright RACER
Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA has firmed up its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship driver line-up, adding IMSA GTP regular Jack Aitken to the fold for the American manufacturer’s next world title push with the V-Series.R. The 30-year-old British-Korean Cadillac factory driver has excelled the past two seasons with Action Express Racing in IMSA, where he captured multiple victories and pole positions in the No. 31 V-Series.R. Aitken finished second in both the 2025 IMSA drivers’ championship and IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup standings alongside Earl Bamber and Frederik Vesti. He also took part in the Bahrain Rookie Test last weekend with JOTA alongside Ricky Taylor. Aitken’s signing is the only change across JOTA’s two-car effort in WEC. He will race alongside returning drivers Bamber and Sébastien Bourdais in the No. 38, where he will replace Jenson Button. The 2009 Formula 1 world champion has stepped away from professional motorsport after two years with the team following the 2025 finale in Bahrain. In the team's other entry, Alex Lynn, Norman Nato and Will Stevens will all return to drive the No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, after securing points in every race and finishing fifth in the 2025 Hypercar drivers’ standings. Aitken and Bamber will continue their parallel commitments in IMSA with Action Express, while Stevens is set to contest three endurance rounds with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing. JOTA told RACER that Aitken will prioritize the full IMSA campaign, and therefore miss the FIA WEC 6 Hours of Imola, which clashes with the IMSA round at Long Beach. “We’re delighted to welcome Jack on board,” said JOTA Sport director and founder David Clark. “We’ve been following his progress closely this year and have been really impressed by his raw pace and consistency – both essential ingredients for success in the Hypercar category. “As an existing member of the wider Cadillac Racing driver family, Jack is a natural fit for us. He already understands the culture, the people, and the expectations within the Cadillac ecosystem. “Beyond his performance on track, Jack’s calm personality and team-first attitude make him an excellent addition to our driver line-up. We never take team chemistry for granted – six individual stars won’t win endurance races, but six drivers who work as one can. Everything we’ve seen from Jack so far shows he embodies that spirit, and we can’t wait to see what he achieves with the team next season.” Aitken has claimed three wins (two of them came at Sebring and Petit Le Mans), seven podiums and two pole starts in 22 IMSA appearances. He has also claimed a set of DTM victories in recent seasons with Ferrari customer team Emil Frey Racing. “I am very appreciative that Cadillac has that trust and are willing to give me the opportunity,” Aitken said. “It’s very exciting for me personally because I’ve never raced in the WEC and I’ve never raced with JOTA, even though we’ve come close a couple of times and have had a relationship that is now coming to fruition. They have fantastic people – from the drivers to the staff – and it’s a team that has had success in WEC. “I’m excited to try to take what I’ve learned in IMSA at Action Express and bring that across to try to push things forward. I’m excited to start the year and to double up on my time in the Cadillac V-Series.R.” “We’re thrilled to welcome Jack Aitken to our 2026 WEC Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA driver line-up,” said Cadillac Racing program manager Keely Bosn. “Jack brings exceptional speed, technical insight, and a fierce competitive spirit that perfectly complements the team. “Our 2026 roster truly reflects the strength in continuity. With drivers competing across both IMSA and WEC, we’re building a unified program that drives shared performance and development. I’m genuinely excited about the depth, talent, and energy this line-up brings to the season ahead.”
