Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA
Sportscar365 has learned that Pipo Derani will not return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with Action Express Racing next year as the Brazilian champion driver and the Cadillac GTP team have agreed to go their separate ways at the end of the season.
Derani, who joined Action Express in 2019 after Extreme Speed Motorsports ceased operations, has won numerous accolades during his highly successful six-year stint with the Gary Nelson-led organisation, including the 2021 and 2023 top-class prototype driver titles, numerous wins and pole positions, and two Michelin Endurance Cups.
He currently sits fourth in the GTP drivers’ standings alongside his season co-driver Jack Aitken ahead of Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, where the duo will share the No. 31 Whelen-sponsored Cadillac V-Series.R with Tom Blomqvist.
“We have mutually agreed not to continue together beyond this year,” said Derani. “We had a fantastic time together with two championships, two endurance championships and many race wins and pole positions.”
“I really enjoyed my time with this team and at Cadillac.
“I appreciate everything they have given me, everything they have done for my career and all the good times we had together will stay with me forever.
“It’s time to win a third championship together this year before we go our separate ways.”
Derani’s departure is the first step in a significant driver restructuring in the GTP class for 2025, triggered by the non-return of Chip Ganassi Racing with Cadillac announced in March.
Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti is reportedly in the final stages of a return to Cadillac machinery next year, with Meyer Shank Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing emerging as possible operators of the Acura ARX-06 in 2025.
This means that there will be further driver changes in the GTP class, especially at WTAndretti, which currently fields Acura-contracted drivers Ricky and Jordan Taylor.
Nelson, who oversees the Action Express program, declined to comment on his team’s drivers for next year. The team is expected to compete with a single Cadillac car again this year.
“When Action Express is ready to announce our driver line-up, we will announce our driver line-up,” he told Sportscar365.
Jamie Klein contributed to this report
