The fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship in São Paulo saw another triumph for BMW M Team WRT, in front of 85,000 fans. In the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, and Dries Vanthoor celebrated their first victory in the FIA WEC. For BMW M Team WRT, it was its second victory of the season following its one-two finish at Spa-Francorchamps. The #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8 finished eighth after a strong comeback, allowing Robin Frijns and René Rast to reclaim the lead in the drivers’ championship.
The #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 started the six-hour race from fourth on the grid. However, the starting driver Magnussen quickly moved up to second place, putting the crew in a promising position in the fight for victory. After the final round of pit stops, closing driver Vanthoor was in the lead, which he defended all the way to the finish.
After a disappointing qualifying, the Spa-Francorchamps winners and Le Mans runners-up – Robin Frijns, René Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde – started from only 16th place. Thanks to flawless performances and a strong strategy, the trio fought their way up to sixth position. This result was enough for Frijns and Rast to reclaim the lead in the drivers’ standings with 75 points. In the manufacturers’ standings, BMW M Motorsport is now second with 127 points, just five points behind Toyota.
