Photo: FocusPackMedia – Marcel Wulf
Mercedes-AMG F1 reserve driver Frederik Vesti has secured his racing future by signing with Action Express Racing for IMSA’s endurance races.
Vesti will drive the #31 Cadillac V-Series.R in the top hypercar class at the Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, Six Hours of the Glen, six-hour Battle on the Bricks race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Petit Le Mans.
His team-mates in the works car will be Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber. Aitken is a one-time Formula 1 racer and DTM race-winner, who won four races when racing in Formula 2, and Bamber is the 2017 World Endurance champion, 2019 IMSA champion, a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner and also made it to the top level of single-seaters in A1GP.
“Proud to be joining Whelen Cadilac V Series.R in IMSA 2025 as endurance driver on the #31 rocket!” Vesti announced on Instagram. “Sharing this rocket with awesome drivers. Thank you for the trust, can’t wait to start this journey soon Cadillac!”
The 22-year-old Dane was F2 runner-up last year, and has combined his Mercedes duties in 2024 with a European Le Mans Series campaign in a second-tier LMP2 prototype sportscar. He took two podiums and came ninth in the standings with Cool Racing.
Vesti, who had been a Mercedes junior through his race-winning FIA Formula 3 Championship campaign in 2021 and during his F2 career, had been hoping to step up to F1 next year but was overlooked by Mercedes for F2 rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The teenaged Italian has also been chosen by the team for free practice outings this year,
To prepare for his 2025 racing programme, which was announced today, Vesti joined Tower Motorsports to drive an LMP2 car at Petit Le Mans two weekends ago. His team finished the race in 12th place overall and fifth in class.
Mercedes is yet to confirm whether it will retain Vesti’s services as its F1 reserve driver for 2025.