As Motorsport.com Italia reports, Cadillac will hold off on using additional evo jokers for the V-Series.R when the 2027 FIA WEC and IMSA seasons arrive, opting instead for minor tweaks to the LMDh machine rather than full evolutionary leaps.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2023, the GM brand's beast has undergone two major revisions. The first landed at the start of 2025 with a heavy focus on upgrading electronics, while this year brought a broader package that refined the aerodynamics and switched over to a Brembo braking system. That leaves the manufacturer having spent three jokers out of the five originally allotted for the initial five-year lifecycle of the car, keeping two in reserve.
Non proprio, perché, per come funzionano le cose, non credo ci sia molto di cui preoccuparsi,
While the rulebook awards manufacturers two more jokers for the 2028 and 2029 campaigns—meaning there is little incentive to hoard the remaining ones—Sam Hignett, team principal of Jota, revealed that Cadillac has decided against spending any more because the 2026 evolution represents such a massive step forward. Asked if he expected further updates in 2027, Hignett stated, “No, abbiamo utilizzato tutti i nostri Joker Evo principali ad inizio 2026, ma ne abbiamo ancora alcuni a disposizione. Ma per quest'anno siamo a posto.”
That does not mean the V8-powered machine will freeze entirely, as Cadillac still has minor tweaks planned outside the strict framework of the evo jokers. Hignett noted that improvements will target safety and reliability, explaining that there is still plenty to learn from this year's package and that the winter will be used to extract more performance.
It comes on the back of a stellar 2026 for the LMDh contender, particularly in IMSA, where Cadillac secured its first GTP manufacturers' title of the LMDh era and Jack Aitken claimed the drivers' crown with Action Express Racing. Solid results have also followed in the WEC thanks to Jota picking up a pole position and two podiums across the opening six races.
Even with rivals like Ferrari and Peugeot preparing major updates, and newcomers Ford and McLaren joining the Hypercar fray, Hignett remains unbothered by the lack of a major 2027 upgrade. When asked if rival overhauls caused any concern, he responded, “Non proprio, perché, per come funzionano le cose, non credo ci sia molto di cui preoccuparsi,” adding that the focus remains squarely on internal execution.
