Final yr noticed a full resurfacing of the 11-turn, 2.238-mile highway course for the primary time since 2006, which additionally included a brand new pedestrian bridge on the entrance straight as a part of a $14.9 million venture.
The venture started shortly after final Could’s IMSA occasion and was accomplished by July, with IndyCar the primary main collection to race on the brand new – and faster – floor in September.
Ricky Taylor holds the DPi monitor document with a 1m13.924s (108.987mph) flying lap, which got here in April 2022. Matt Campbell’s Penske Porsche 963 hit a 1m14.774s (107.748mph) lap on the previous floor throughout the present GTP technology’s – that changed DPi – inaugural journey to Laguna Seca final yr.
For Bourdais, who is available in because the defending race winner with No. 01 Cadillac V-Sequence.R co-driver Renger van der Zande, a latest check confirmed promise of elevated grip, which can seemingly result in a soar in tempo.
“We did come and check with each Cadillacs, each BMWs and each Penske Porsches, so we did have time to experiment and check out fairly just a few issues,” stated Bourdais. “Grip has gone up lots.
“It’s most likely going to be at the least a few seconds sooner and it’s all the time an superior feeling while you drive on a repaved monitor. I’ve all the time loved Laguna, however tyre degradation was excessive, and grip was fairly low on the finish of the cycle of the previous pavement.
“So, now it’s full pressure, most assault and dedication, so it’s a ton of enjoyable to muscle these GTPs round. It is best to see some fairly unimaginable speeds across the weekend.”
crash, Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet
Photograph by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
When wanting again on the IndyCar spherical on the brand new floor, van der Zande seen vehicles “flying off” due to the dearth of grip off the one racing line.
Nonetheless, in latest IMSA testing vehicles didn’t endure the identical situation, with “grip all over the place” on the monitor. With that, although, he believes the elevated speeds will nonetheless result in a number of vehicles venturing astray but additionally tighten up the sphere.
“These new tarmac modifications will almost definitely convey the sphere collectively,” van der Zande stated. “I count on a detailed battle once more.
“Additionally, strategy-wise it’s going to be very attention-grabbing due to the tarmac, so we’ll see what performs out. It seems to be like we’ll be fairly a bit sooner than the GT vehicles at Laguna Seca in comparison with the opposite tracks. From that perspective, it’s simpler to overhaul them.”
With 34 vehicles unfold throughout three courses, with GTD Professional and GTD additionally on monitor this weekend, managing site visitors may very well be harder than regular with sooner lap occasions.
“When the cornering speeds improve, site visitors tends to have a much bigger affect on tempo since you’re getting checked up and shedding extra time within the corners,” Bourdais stated.
“It’s the identical for everyone, however timing the place you hit site visitors and the way it pans out tends to have a much bigger impact on the race. Laguna nonetheless tends to be a lot of a one-lane monitor, and it will get soiled on the surface.
“The multi-class racing tends to assist widen the road, however because the monitor grips up and rubbers up on line it tends to get dirtier and it’s a bit much less encouraging you to go across the exterior of individuals and pull an optimistic transfer.”
#01 Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac V-Sequence.R: Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais
Photograph by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images
Contemplating how a lot faster the tempo may very well be per lap this yr, he was requested if that will play a task in power deployment and pit technique: “It will likely be greater since you want extra power to go sooner,” Bourdais replied.
“It simply doesn’t occur by way of cornering speeds. You’re on the throttle. We are inclined to have pretty large home windows with the GTP vehicles over these races, so we’ll see the way it shakes out.
“However it must be possible on two stops.”