The checkered flag fell on Filipe Albuquerque’s North American endurance season, bringing a sense of weary relief for the Portuguese driver. Piloting his Cadillac, Albuquerque concluded the IMSA championship in sixth place overall. This matched his finishing position in the grueling season finale, the 10 Hours of Petit Le Mans, held in Atlanta. It marks a clear end to a challenging year on the track.
The final race of the year proved particularly tough for Albuquerque and his Wayne Taylor Racing team. He shares driving duties in the Cadillac with teammates Ricky Taylor and Will Stevens. Despite their collective efforts, the performance throughout the weekend was not what they aimed for.
Albuquerque didn’t mince words when reflecting on the Atlanta race. “This race mirrored our entire year,” he explained, noting a pattern of “highs and lows.” He called it a “tough race,” primarily because a persistent “lack of pace affected the whole weekend.” The Coimbra native expressed a recurring frustration: “Similar to other races, we don’t understand what is really missing, and that makes decision-making difficult.”
Now, with the season wrapped up, Albuquerque feels “a little relieved.” This relief, however, quickly turns to determination. He knows the team has a job to do before the next season starts.
“We need to work on the car,” Albuquerque stated firmly. “We must find the path to better performance.” He anticipates a busy off-season, describing it as a “winter of searching and working.” While securing sixth place overall was “a lesser evil” given the year’s “roller coaster” ride, it ultimately falls short of their goals. Albuquerque concluded, “In reality, it does not satisfy us because what we want is to win.”