General Motors is making a strategic shift in its motorsports leadership, rotating two of its top sports car program managers, Laura Wontrop Klauser and Christie Bagne, back to production roles within the company. This move underscores GM’s philosophy of leveraging motorsports as a training ground for engineering and leadership development. In a statement, GM emphasized that racing experience enriches team members’ careers and strengthens the company’s overall expertise.
Klauser, a pivotal figure in GM’s sports car division, will conclude her role as GM Sports Car Racing Program Manager at the end of the 2024 season. She will transition to Engineering Group Leader for the Global Hardware Systems and Integration Team. Meanwhile, Bagne, who led the Corvette Z06 GT3.R program, will take on a new role as a Senior Analyst in Corporate Strategy. Both will end their motorsports tenure at this weekend’s World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain.
In their places, Keely Bosn and Jessica Dane will step into leadership roles within GM Motorsports. Bosn, formerly Future Tech & Mobility Planning Manager, will take over as Cadillac Racing Program Manager. Dane, currently GM’s Motorsports Integration Manager, will become Corvette Racing Program Manager, overseeing all Corvette GT3 initiatives.
Klauser joined GM Motorsports in 2016 and has been instrumental in building Cadillac’s DPi and LMDh programs, as well as the Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Under her guidance, Cadillac captured driver, team, and manufacturer titles in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP category. Bagne, who moved into motorsports management in 2021, led the Corvette Z06 GT3.R’s debut, achieving success in both IMSA GTD PRO and the Fanatec GT World Challenge America.
As GM integrates motorsports expertise back into its production teams, the company aims to leverage these skills to drive innovation and strengthen its engineering prowess across the board.