IndyCar legend Scott Dixon is relishing racing for the outright win at Le Mans with the Chip Ganassi-run Cadillac team.
“It’s cool to be racing for an outright win,” the Kiwi told reporters at a Cadillac media briefing.
“How good those chances are yet to be seen, and maybe it’s not even a chance. But even just the mindset of being in the category to be racing for that i think is a lot of fun.
But also, I think with the 100th anniversary, it’s very special too. So for me it was definitely a race I wanted to be at, whether it was with Chip or not. But luckily, it worked out timing wise, I think, for everybody to to be here for this new era.”
Of course, the 42-year-old has the enviable chance to add a second part of the ‘Triple Crown’ to his lengthy record of achievements. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 2008, and while he raced at the French endurance classic in 2016-2019 with the Ford Chip Ganassi team, he didn’t record a win. That said, traditionally the Le Mans leg of the Triple Crown needs to be an overall win.
“I think I don’t even really look at it that way,” said the six-time Indycar champion. “I just look at it that Le Mans is one of the biggest races in the world. I’m lucky to be in a position to come with a team like this, a manufacturer.
“It’s hard, there’s not much availability for situations like this. So for me it’s a proud moment, and one that I feel special to be a part of,” he said to MotorsportWeek.com.
While Dixon is no stranger to racing in different categories — by his own admission he’s done “loads of IMSA’ alongside his IndyCar day job — he hasn’t had the chance to race the Cadillac in an FIA World Endurance Championship race yet. That didn’t seem to phase the Kiwi much, though.
“Procedure wise, probably,” he said when asked by MotorsportWeek.com whether it would have been beneficial to do a WEC race prior to Le Mans in the Cadillac.
“You get a lot of help around here, especially with the onboard stuff. And then also with radios and things like that. So, it is nice to do races. Even, going from an IndyCar to IMSA, which I’ve loads of IMSA.
“So a lot of the protocols change, even with the past rounds or, now we have the fall back here and different scenarios. So I think it’s always nice to be prepared but obviously it doesn’t… it’s a lot harder these days. There’s a lot of conflicts.”
And finally, Dixon was clear that the team were in France to win. “Ultimately, we’re here always to win. It’s really only It’s the only thing you come for. But yeah podium, I guess, would be would be impressive, especially for the first year.
“But I don’t know, like any endurance race. So many things can go can go wrong. Or even split pace cars, which now at least they’ve brought that together for a majority of the race.
“So yeah, I think a podium would be would be huge, but ultimately, I think finishing the race without any major issues would be a pretty big feat too.”
