BMW Takes Top Honours in São Paulo
The BMW M Team WRT entry, driven by Kevin Magnussen, secured victory at the 6 Hours of São Paulo. The race saw intense competition, with the BMW initially running second behind the #35 Alpine A424. Magnussen had earlier overtaken the #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R of Earl Bamber to claim second place in the opening stages of the race.
Despite an initial complaint about a lack of power, Magnussen regained pace, allowing the BMW to maintain a strong position. The #35 Alpine A424, piloted by Ferdinand Habsburg, briefly led the race in the second hour after opting for a short-stint strategy to gain track position. However, the Alpine later dropped down the order following a driver change to António Félix da Costa during its second pit stop.
The race was not without its challenges for other front-runners. The initial leader, Will Stevens, experienced a significant delay during his first pit stop when a front-right wheel nut became stuck, costing his team approximately 15 seconds and eight positions. Stevens then embarked on a recovery drive, overtaking several competitors, including the #8 Toyota of Brendon Hartley and the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P of Antonio Giovinazzi.
Cadillac and Ferrari Secure Podium Positions
The #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, after losing time during its first pit stop due to an out-of-position entry, fought its way back into the top six. The team ultimately secured a podium finish, demonstrating resilience throughout the event. The #83 AF Corse Ferrari, driven by Yifei Ye, also made a strong comeback to finish third, despite receiving a five-second stop-and-go penalty for a starting infringement.
The #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, with Antonio Giovinazzi at the wheel, finished fifth after an eventful first two hours. This Ferrari endured multiple instances of contact during the race. Another notable incident involved the #8 Toyota, which was forced to pit for repairs after contact with both the #009 Aston Martin Valkyrie and the #19 Genesis. Hartley rejoined the race 13 laps behind the leader.
In the LMGT3 category, the Proton Competition pair of Ford Mustangs initially dominated, running one-two in the early hours. Stefano Gattuso in the #88 car and Eric Powell in the #77 Mustang led the field for the first 80 minutes. However, internal team contact between Gattuso and Powell after 90 minutes caused Powell to lose momentum. The Akkodis ASP Team Lexus later re-took the lead, with Petru Umbrărescu heading the #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette.
Local Drivers Compete on Home Soil
The event also marked a significant occasion for local drivers. Pipo Derani, a São Paulo native and driver for Genesis Magma Racing, expressed his delight at competing in his home round of the FIA World Endurance Championship after an 11-year wait. Derani, who attended the 2014 edition of the race, had not previously had the opportunity to compete on home soil in the category.
Derani, driving the #17 Genesis GMR-001 alongside Andre Lotterer and Mathys Jaubert, noted the team’s unexpected competitiveness in the car’s debut campaign. While qualifying proved challenging for Derani, with two flying laps deleted due to the car’s powertrain exceeding the prescribed limit, his teammate Mathieu Jaminet secured a place in the final shoot-out, finishing sixth quickest before a one-place grid penalty.
Another Brazilian driver, Augusto Farfus, lined up ninth in the LMGT3 division in the #32 WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which featured a special livery of the Brazilian flag. Farfus, eager for a strong result at home, had previously achieved tenth and 12th places in the past two years. The race saw a brief Full Course Yellow after 70 minutes for debris on the track, but otherwise ran under green flag conditions.
Read Also
Source: fiawec.com