FIA WEC: Second win of the season for BMW M Team WRT – #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 triumphs in São Paulo.
BMW M Team WRT secured its second FIA WEC victory of the season at São Paulo with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, while the #20 car’s eighth-place finish returned its drivers to the championship lead.
BMW M Team WRT claimed its second win of the 2024 FIA WEC season at the São Paulo round, with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 crossing the line first. Drivers Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, and Dries Vanthoor delivered a flawless performance, overcoming a fourth-place grid start to dominate the six-hour race. The victory marked BMW M Motorsport’s second triumph this season following Spa-Francorchamps, reinforcing its competitive position in the Hypercar class.
The #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Robin Frijns and René Rast, finished eighth after starting 16th, a result that returned Frijns and Rast to the top of the drivers’ championship with 75 points. Despite a challenging qualifying session, the team executed a strong race strategy, clawing back eight positions in a tightly contested field. BMW M Motorsport now sits second in the manufacturers’ standings with 127 points, just five behind Toyota.
In the LMGT3 class, Team WRT’s #69 BMW M4 GT3 EVO secured a second-place podium finish, marking its first LMGT3 podium since Imola. Dan Harper, Parker Thompson, and Anthony McIntosh overcame a fourth-place grid start, benefiting from cooler race-day conditions that suited the car’s performance. The result highlighted the team’s resilience after two disappointing outings earlier in the season.
Augusto Farfus, Sean Gelael, and Darren Leung in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO finished twelfth at Farfus’s home race in Brazil. While congratulating the Hypercar crew on their victory, Farfus acknowledged the team’s progress over the weekend but noted a one-minute deficit to the sister car during the race. The team aims to address performance gaps as it targets stronger results in the second half of the season.