BMW M Team WRT secured fifth place with the #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8 at the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) in São Paulo. René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, and Marco Wittmann delivered strong performances both in qualifying, where they achieved fifth place, and in the 6-hour race. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 fell back early in the race due to technical issues. In the LMGT3 class, both BMW M4 GT3 EVO crews demonstrated fighting spirit in a challenging race.
Sheldon van der Linde drove the qualifying session on Saturday, stepping in for Robin Frijns, who was competing in Formula E at the same time, and secured fifth on the grid. During the race, car #20 consistently remained in the front midfield but was slightly set back by a drive-through penalty. In the final stint, van der Linde closed the gap to the Peugeot ahead and secured fifth place with an impressive overtaking manoeuvre shortly before the finish. Wittmann, returning to the FIA WEC, proved to be an excellent substitute for Frijns. The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, and Dries Vanthoor, started from eighth place but had to return to the pits after just a few laps due to brake issues. Following a 45-minute repair, the trio finished the race in 17th place.
In the LMGT3 class, the two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs were unable to keep up with the leaders throughout the weekend. Despite flawless performances and the determination of the drivers and teams, they could not overcome the deficit. Starting from 14th and 17th on the grid, the best results in the race were tenth place for car #46 and twelfth for the #31 car.
Congratulations to BMW M Team WRT and the car #20 crew on a strong weekend. It was a solid performance, and we extracted the maximum that was possible for us here. The early brake issues with car #15 are very frustrating and unfortunate for the drivers and the team.
Fifth place for car #20 is the result of an almost flawless race by our team. In the LMGT3 class, we probably had the best-executed races we’ve ever had in the FIA WEC with both cars. Finishing tenth and twelfth says it all, I think.
Driver statements.
René Rast (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, 5th place): "We can be satisfied with the result. It was a calm weekend. We got the maximum out of it; there wasn’t more in it. Our pace wasn’t where we wanted it to be, but we were error-free and had a good strategy. Overall, it’s fine, but unfortunately, we were still a bit too slow this time."
Kevin Magnussen (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, 17th place): "It was an unfortunate race for us. The brake issue took away all our chances very early on. Unfortunately, these things can happen. We’ve had some bad luck a few times this season. Hopefully, we can bounce back in the remaining races."
Valentino Rossi (Team WRT, #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 10th place): "Of course, tenth place isn’t what we came for. We wanted more, we wanted to fight for the podium, but considering our pace and how much we struggled in practice, it’s not bad. The race was good; we didn’t make any mistakes, and the team did a great job. We got the best possible result. But it is what it is. Everyone gave their maximum, even if the performance and pace weren’t fantastic. We’ll push again next time."
Augusto Farfus (The Bend Team WRT, #31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 12th place): "It’s incredibly frustrating when you and your crew deliver a perfect race and simply have no chance to keep up with the leaders. Unfortunately, this was evident throughout the weekend. I loved racing in front of my fans in my home country again, but I would have liked to present myself as more competitive on the track. Under the given circumstances, that was impossible."