Lilou Wadoux claims historic first IMSA GTD pole at Road America

French driver Lilou Wadoux claimed her first career IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship pole position in qualifying for the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America on Saturday. She drove the #21 AF Corse USA Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO, setting a lap of 2m04.688s on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn natural-terrain road course. This achievement made Wadoux the first woman to capture an IMSA pole since Katherine Legge at Laguna Seca in 2018.

Despite facing challenges such as technical setbacks in Watkins Glen and unpredictable weather at Road America, Wadoux's team worked diligently to prepare a competitive car in time for qualifying. Wadoux expressed her satisfaction with the pole position, acknowledging the historic significance for women in North American sports car racing while remaining focused on her primary goal of winning races.

She stated, "To show that we are able to do the same, it's good, but I'm quite happy as a driver to do the pole position." With her starting track position secured, Wadoux now aims to convert her single-lap speed into a successful endurance race performance.