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Magnussen Gets Pole in Ganassi Cadillac in The D First pole for Dane in IMSA

2021-06-11

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Kevin Magnussen drove the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R to pole position for tomorrow's running of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Chevrolet Sports Car Classic Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle Park.

It was an all Cadillac speed fest on the Belle Isle circuit in practice today. Tristan Vautier paced the IMSA field in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-.VR in the first session with Magnussen leading the way in the Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac. in the second open practice session.

In the 15-minute qualifying run the former Formula 1 driver was able to carry the speed over from practice and win his first pole position in IMSA WeatherTech competition with a time of 1:20.031. Magnussen, together with teammate Renger van der Zande, will bring the field to the green flag at 5 p.m. ET tomorrow.

'Getting pole position for the team today means a lot,' Magnussen said. 'We went to Daytona, Chip Ganassi Racing and Cadillac put this team together in a rush and we were quick straight away and in a fight for the win to the end when we had a tire blow out. We were leading at Sebring and had that incident at the end. Mid-Ohio we had the fastest lap of the race, so it feels like we have been strong but haven't been able to capitalize on that pace. It is good to get pole and start at the front. It is GM's home track with Cadillac, so we are happy to start from pole.'

Pipo Derani had the wheel of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R for this afternoon's qualifying. He was able run a time of 1:20.161 that will have he and Felipe Nasr starting next to Magnussen on the front row. The team won the race here in Detroit in 2018.

'Positive result for us as a team starting P3 but unfortunately the red flag shortened the session. I believe we could have got pole with just an extra lap,' Derani said. 'The team gave me a great car and we feel ready and confident for the race tomorrow. We look forward for a strong result for the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac.'

Tristan Vautier showed a lot of speed in practice setting the top time in the days first session. Pushing to get pole he got the car out of sorts and brushed the wall. The result negated his fast time and he and teammate Loic Duval will start the 100-minute tomorrow from fifth on the grid with a time of 1:20.532.

'It was a shame,' Vautier said. 'We had a lot of speed. We were fighting for the pole and I dropped the wheels at the entry of Turn 4 and that put me into the wall. I'm not the first one or the last that will happen to. We had a chance to be on the front row. That mistake by me set us back. The team has eyes forward. We have a good car for the race. We have lots of speed. Sorry to the team and we are focused on tomorrow.'

Cadillac IMSA Detroit Qualifying Results:

1. No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger van der Zande and Kevin Magnussen, 1:20.031

2. No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R, Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani, 1:20.161

3. No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R, Tristan Vautier and Loic Duval, 1:20.532

Television coverage of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship from Detroit will start at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN and TrackPass on Saturday. IMSA Radio will have live coverage throughout the race weekend on TrackPass, IMSA.com, XM 392, and RadioLeMans.com.

Race day social, Don't forget to tune into @NBCSN at 5 pm ET for the @IMSA @chevrolet Sports Car Classic at @detroitgp! Watch flag-to-flag coverage available on TrackPass and imsa.com. #IMSA / #DetroitGP.

Image credit: Cadillac/Richard Prince

Cadillac DPi-V.R racing history, the Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R won the Sebring 12 hours. In the season opener Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Ally Cadillac team placed second with NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson. In 2020 the Konica Minolta Cadillac team won the season opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and posted a win at Petit Le Mans. The Whelen Engineering team won Sebring in July. Konica Minolta Cadillac team won the IMSA Endurance Cup championship.

In 2019 Konica Minolta Cadillac took the win at the season opening Rolex 24 Hour At Daytona, the Whelen Engineering Cadillac squad followed that up by winning the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The Mustang Sampling Cadillac team also posted a win at Long Beach on the year.

The 2018 season saw the Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R win the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona; Cadillac won the IMSA Prototype Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win IMSA Prototype Drivers' Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins the IMSA Prototype Team Championship; Cadillac wins Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup (TPNAEC) Manufacturer Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac drivers Eric Curran and Felipe Nasr win TPNAEC Drivers' Championship; Whelen Engineering Cadillac wins TPNAEC team championship.

In 2017 Cadillac teams won every title in the inaugural season of the IMSA DPi formula including: Cadillac wins DPi manufacturer championship; Cadillac wins TPNAEC (Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup) manufacturer title; Jordan and Ricky Taylor 2017 IMSA WeatherTech DPi driver champions; Konica Minolta Cadillac team champions; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi and Filipe Albuquerque won the TPNAEC DPi driver championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac won the TPNAEC DPi team championship; Whelen Engineering drivers Dane Cameron and Eric Curran finish second in the driver's championship; Mustang Sampling Cadillac drivers Joao Barbosa and Christian Fittipaldi finish third in the driver's championship; Cadillac teams combine to win seven races in 2017: Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona, Twelve Hours of Sebring, Long Beach, Circuit of the Americas, Detroit, Watkins Glen, and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

A leading luxury auto brand since 1902,Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio that features distinctive design and technology. Today Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio featuring distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac's media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

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