BMW seized the 6‑hour title in Sao Paulo, edging Ferrari by 2.2 seconds after a fuel‑saving tactic paid dividends.
BMW’s Winning Gambit
The #15 M Hybrid, helmed by Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor, dominated most of the race. Vanthoor, stung by a wet‑weather stint, secured the lead only when the Ferrari 499P ran wide and ran out of fuel for the final 12 minutes.
BMW’s longer refuel and a single stop in the final hour allowed Vanthoor to re‑enter the field ahead of James Calado’s Ferrari, who had to hold fuel for the closing 60 km block.
The crew finished just 2.2 seconds ahead, marking BMW’s second win in three WEC events after Imola.
Ferrari’s Resilient Fight
James Calado shared the #51 499P with Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi, climbing from 11th on the grid and pushing close to the leading BMW until the final stint.
Calado’s understeer exit into the pit lane left a billboard reminder on the car’s front‑left, but the incident cost little time.
Calado opted to conserve fuel, forgoing a challenge for the lead to preserve a solid second-place finish.
Podium Chaos and Penalties
Aston Martin’s #007 powered by Harry Tincknell collected seventh after a neutralised field; the #009, driven by Alex Ribera and Marco Sorensen, claimed eighth.
Cadillac’s #12, initially victorious from pole, slipped to third due to a faulty pit stop, a collision that forced Will Stevens a five‑second penalty, and a spin by Nato.
Jota swapped its #38 and #35 Cadillacs midway, but Bamber, Bourdais and Aitken finished fourth after a penalty for contact.
Other Front‑End Contenders
The #83 Ferrari, fielded by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson, captured fifth after capitalising on a collision between Robin Frijns and Antonio Fuoco.
Alpine’s #35 team, led by Milesi and Habsburg, fell out of contention after a puncture in the final hour.
BMW’s #20 entry, finished sixth, while the #50 Ferrari dropped to eighth after contact that left Fuoco’s chassis damaged.
Toyota and the Hypercar Field
Both Toyota 010s struggled: the #7 car finished 12th, hindered by start‑line penalties and a lack of pace; the #8 trim had broken the ride three minutes into the race.
Genesis’s #17, driven by Paul‑Loup Charatin, Daniel Juncadella and Mathieu Jaminet, finished 13th after a drives‑through penalty for a car‑class‑infringement.
Conclusion
BMW’s strategic fuel mastery, coupled with Ferrari’s near‑miss and Cadillac’s mishap‑laden night, set a precedent for the remainder of the Hypercar championship.
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