DENVER, N.C. — Cadillac Racing and Action Express Racing have tapped 2022 FIA Formula 2 champion Felipe Drugovich to co-drive their No. 311 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R with Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken in the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
Drugovich, of Brazil, has been the test and reserve driver for the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F-1 team the past two seasons. He will continue in the role in addition to recently joining Vector Sport as co-driver of its LMP2 entry in the six rounds of the 2024 European Le Mans Series.
“Felipe has been on our radar for a couple of years,” Action Express Racing team manager Gary Nelson said. “After watching him race a sports car in the ELMS recently, we finally got a chance to meet him and work with him in some simulator testing. We were impressed by his maturity, discipline and knowledge.
“Next, we took Felipe to a track test, where he shared our car with Pipo and Jack. We are very excited to take the next obvious step and enter Felipe alongside Pipo and Jack at Le Mans. His record speaks volumes.”
Drugovich posted eight victories and five pole starts in 73 Formula 2 starts in 2020-’22, earning the championship with five victories, four poles and 11 podiums. He earned a record 14 victories in 16 races in winning the 2018 Euroformula Open Championship and was also the 2017-18 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 champion with 10 wins in 16 races. He has also competed in FIA Formula 3 and the Spanish Formula 3 Championship.
“I am only 23 years old, and I am having the most important opportunity in my racing car career until now thanks to Action Express and Cadillac,” said Drugovich, who is of Austrian decent and holds dual citizenship in Brazil and Italy.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is impossible to define in words, such is its magic and importance for cars in general and motor racing in particular. I am having the opportunity to live this 100 years history for the first time with AXR and Cadillac.”
Drugovich teamed with three others to win the 2021 and 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual – an esports contest.
“I barely touched the magic of Le Mans 24 hours, winning twice the virtual editions. Now I am going to plunge into it for real with the No. 311 Cadillac of Action Express Racing, with my fellow Brazilian Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken,” Drugovich added. “What a privilege having another dream coming true.”
The Action Express Racing-run No. 311 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R will make its second consecutive start in the iconic European endurance race. In 2023, Derani and Aitken teamed with Alexander Sims to place 10th in the Hypercar class after an early race incident.