Louis Deletraz

Louis Delétraz Bio

Louis Charles Hubert Delétraz is a Swiss racing driver born on 22 April 1997 in Geneva, Switzerland. He currently competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing and in the European Le Mans Series for AO by TF. The son of former Formula One and Le Mans 24 Hours driver Jean-Denis Delétraz, Louis has established himself as one of the leading endurance racing drivers of his generation, winning multiple championships across major European and American sports car series.

Delétraz began his motorsport journey in karting before progressing through single-seater categories including Formula Renault and Formula 2. He transitioned to endurance racing in 2020 and has since won three European Le Mans Series championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023, making him the first driver to achieve three LMP2 titles in the series history.

Early Life and Background

Born in Geneva to former Formula One driver Jean-Denis Delétraz, Louis was introduced to motorsport at an early age by his father. His father initially forbade him from racing karts competitively until he was ten years old, leading Louis to begin racing soap boxes that he built together with his father. This early exposure to engineering and racing laid the foundation for his future career.

Delétraz began karting in his native Switzerland in 2008, winning the Vega Trofeo Super Mini class the following year. He continued to develop his skills with third-place finishes in the KF3 Bridgestone Cup Switzerland and Vega Trofeo Junior categories in 2010 before winning the latter championship in 2011. This success in karting provided the platform for his transition to single-seater racing.

Path to NASCAR

Delétraz pursued a traditional European single-seater career path rather than targeting NASCAR. He moved from karting into the Formula BMW Talent Cup in 2012, where he started each of three races from pole position and won the second race of the event. This led to a full-time campaign in Formula Renault 2.0 NEC starting in 2013 with Josef Kaufmann Racing.

After several successful seasons in Formula Renault, Delétraz progressed to Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2015, where he finished as runner-up in the 2016 standings. His single-seater career culminated in the FIA Formula 2 Championship from 2016 to 2020, where he achieved multiple podiums and established himself as a competitive midfield runner. This experience in high-level open-wheel racing prepared him for his eventual transition to endurance sports car competition.

Louis Delétraz Career

Early Career (2012-2016)

Delétraz began his single-seater career in September 2012 at the Formula BMW Talent Cup Grand Final at Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in Germany. His performance earned him a move to Formula Renault 2.0 NEC with Josef Kaufmann Racing in 2013. He finished 19th in the championship in his debut season with a best result of fifth at Silverstone.

In 2014, Delétraz remained with Josef Kaufmann Racing and showed significant improvement by winning the opening race of the season at Monza and adding four further podiums to finish runner-up in the championship. The 2015 season saw him claim the Formula Renault Northern European Cup championship while finishing in the top three of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series. He also joined the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme that year.

Formula 2 Breakthrough (2016-2020)

Delétraz made his GP2 Series debut in the final round of the 2016 season with Carlin, finishing 26th in the standings without scoring points. For the 2017 season, he signed with Racing Engineering for a full FIA Formula 2 Championship campaign. After scoring only one point in the first half of the season, he switched to Rapax mid-season, replacing Nyck de Vries.

In 2018, Delétraz moved to Charouz Racing System where he partnered Antonio Fuoco. He achieved second-place finishes in the sprint races at Monaco and Le Castellet, finishing tenth in the championship. He continued his progression in 2019 with Carlin, achieving season-best results of second in both Monaco and Silverstone sprint races to finish eighth overall. His final Formula 2 season in 2020 saw him return to Charouz alongside Pedro Piquet, where five podium results helped him secure eighth place in the final standings.

Endurance Racing Era (2020-Present)

Delétraz began his transition to endurance racing in 2020, competing in the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans which he won with Rebellion Williams eSports. He also made his real-life Le Mans debut with Rebellion Racing in the LMP1 category alongside Nathanaël Berthon and Romain Dumas, finishing fourth. This marked a significant career shift from single-seaters to sports car competition.

In 2021, Delétraz joined Team WRT for a full campaign in the European Le Mans Series LMP2 category alongside Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye. The trio secured three wins and a second-place finish to clinch the championship. They also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where they led with one lap to go before a technical issue forced their retirement. The following year, Delétraz defended his ELMS title with Prema Racing and Ferdinand Habsburg, winning four races and securing the LMP2 Driver’s championship.

Driving Style and Strengths

Delétraz has demonstrated particular strength in endurance racing conditions, excelling at managing tire degradation and maintaining consistent pace over long stints. His background in single-seater racing provides him with strong qualifying pace, and he has secured multiple pole positions in sports car competition. His ability to work effectively within a team environment has been crucial in endurance formats requiring driver cooperation and strategic execution.

Notable Races and Milestones

Delétraz secured his first major endurance racing victory at the 2021 European Le Mans Series season-opener. His performance in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship was particularly significant, as he partnered with Robert Kubica and Rui Andrade to win the final LMP2 championship in the WEC era. The trio secured victories at Spa and Fuji, along with a dominant win at Bahrain to claim the title.

In 2024, Delétraz achieved a milestone victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, making a winning move on Sébastien Bourdais with five minutes remaining to claim Wayne Taylor Racing’s first victory of the GTP era. Later that year, he became the first driver to win three LMP2 titles in the European Le Mans Series history, securing the championship with AO Racing by TF.

Louis Delétraz Career Wins

Delétraz has amassed an impressive record of victories across single-seater and endurance racing categories. His most significant achievements include three European Le Mans Series championships in 2021, 2022, and 2023, along with the Formula Renault Northern European Cup title in 2015 and the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title in 2023.

European Le Mans Series Highlights

Delétraz’s European Le Mans Series career has been defined by sustained excellence across multiple seasons. His first championship in 2021 with Team WRT included three race victories. He successfully defended his title in 2022 with Prema Racing, winning four races including a podium finish at Spa. The 2023 campaign saw him finish third in the Pro-Am and overall standings while securing his third championship in 2024 with AO Racing by TF.

Other Wins & Performances

In the FIA World Endurance Championship, Delétraz claimed the 2023 LMP2 title with victories at Spa, Fuji, and Bahrain. His IMSA SportsCar Championship highlights include the 2024 12 Hours of Sebring victory and third-place finishes at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2023 and 2024. His earlier single-seater career included the 2015 Formula Renault Northern European Cup championship and multiple podium finishes in Formula 2.

Louis Delétraz Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Louis Delétraz comes from a distinguished motorsport family. His father, Jean-Denis Delétraz, competed in Formula One and the Le Mans 24 Hours, providing Louis with both genetic talent and direct exposure to professional racing from an early age. The elder Delétraz guided his son’s early career development while ensuring a measured progression through karting and junior formulas.

Personal Life

Delétraz maintains an active presence on social media platforms including Twitter and Instagram. Information about his marital status and children is not publicly documented. He received the 2023 Auto Sport Schweiz Award from the Swiss auto racing federation in recognition of his special services to Swiss motorsport.

2025 Season Performance

As Wayne Taylor Racing moved to the Cadillac V-Series.R chassis for the 2025 IMSA season, Delétraz and Jordan Taylor remained with the #40 crew. The season began at the 24 Hours of Daytona where the team, joined by Kamui Kobayashi, ran strongly during the evening hours. However, a mistake from Delétraz during the eighth hour saw him spin into the turn 2 barrier, ending the team’s contention. At Sebring, another incident involving one-off teammate Brendon Hartley caused the team to fall out of contention.

The 2025 season presents both challenges and opportunities for Delétraz as he adapts to the new Cadillac machinery. His role at Wayne Taylor Racing continues to focus on the full-time IMSA campaign, while his European commitments remain with AO by TF in the European Le Mans Series. The Swiss driver aims to build momentum throughout the season and contend for victories in both championships.