WEC rookie test raises question marks
Jack Aitken has been appointed by WEC for the rookie test at the season finale in Bahrain. He shares that role at Jota-Cadillac with Ricky Taylor. The test is scheduled for Sunday, at the end of the WEC season.
That announcement, along with his previously confirmed continuation with Action Express in IMSA, gives the impression that Aitken may no longer drive full-time in the DTM next season. This season, the 30-year-old Briton made it to the final for the DTM title with the Emil-Frey Ferrari team, but bad luck and mistakes in the closing stages set him back.
Emil-Frey reacts and prepares
Team boss Lorenz Frey-Hilti said he was surprised by the announcement, but also realistic. According to him, the chance of a double programme with Cadillac was always there. Emil-Frey has made it clear to Aitken that the team wants a driver who can fully focus on the DTM. If Aitken does indeed get a combined programme, Emil-Frey will look for a replacement.
Cadillac itself does not need to test Aitken for speed. He has been a work driver for General Motors for many years, driving the LMDh in the IMSA, including Le Mans, since 2023. The rookie test at Jota seems mainly intended to integrate him into the Jota works team, now that Jenson Button announced his retirement and the #38 Cadillac cockpit becomes vacant.
- What the announcement means: chances are Aitken will have a double programme at Cadillac and therefore be less available for DTM.
- Why that could be a problem: Emil-Frey wants a driver who can focus entirely on DTM testing and racing.
- What Cadillac wants: Aitken knows the V-Series.R and the test helps him settle in with the Jota work team.
- What next: Emil-Frey seeks an alternative and clarity is expected in the coming months.
Aitken himself said he would miss the DTM and that he would have preferred a fourth season with Emil-Frey. For now, it seems Aitken's future is heading towards the WEC and the Jota-Cadillac project, but a definitive confirmation is still missing.
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