Action Express Racing announced Thursday (Aug. 17) that Jack Aitken will race full-time in the No. 31 Cadillac in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024 alongside Pipo Derani. This will be an expansion of his current endurance role with the team.
“Ever since I started this program with Cadillac Racing and Whelen Engineering, everybody has been incredibly kind and passionate in helping push me and the team forward,” Aitken said. “This is one of the reasons I’m incredibly excited to become a full-time member of the team next year. The competitiveness of IMSA and the quality of the calendar are another couple of reasons, and I thoroughly enjoy the style of racing I’ve experienced already this year in my endurance outings. I have to say a big thank you to Cadillac and Whelen Engineering for their continued faith in me as well as both of my teammates, Pipo [Derani] and Alex [Sims].”
Aitken will replace Alexander Sims with the team. Sims will be moving to the rebadged Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports full-time in 2024.
“Jack came to the top of all the categories late last year when we were researching the various drivers who would be available for our endurance role,” stated Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing’s team manager. “He has proven to be fast on the track, a fast learner of the GTP car and an asset to the team. We see Jack being a great pairing with Pipo in his expanded role next season.”
Aitken has made four starts with the team this year alongside Derani and Sims, three in IMSA and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The trio won the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring back in March and currently lead the Michelin Endurance Cup point standings in the GTP class.
Aitken came up the open-wheel ranks, running full-time as far up as Formula 2 in 2021. He also served as a test driver for Renault and a reserve driver for Williams.
When Lewis Hamilton contracted COVID-19 and was forced to miss the Grand Prix of Sahkir in 2020, George Russell was called up to drive in Hamilton’s place. Aitken was promoted into the race seat to replace Russell. Aitken finished 16th in his only grand prix start to this point.
While Aitken continued as a reserve driver for Williams through the end of 2022, Aitken transitioned to GT racing in 2021, racing for Emil Frey Racing in SRO competition in Europe.
In addition to his part-time IMSA schedule, Aitken is also currently racing full-time in DTM in a Ferrari 296 GT3. Outside of Action Express Racing, he has also raced in LMP2 competition, primarily for the TF Sport-run Racing Team Turkey in the European Le Mans Series.
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Phil Allaway has three primary roles at Frontstretch. He's the manager of the site's FREE e-mail newsletter that publishes Monday-Friday and occasionally on weekends. He keeps TV broadcasters honest with weekly editions of Couch Potato Tuesday and serves as the site's Sports Car racing editor.
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