10 July, 2025–The FIA World Endurance Championship returns to Brazil this weekend (12-13 July) for the fifth outing of its 2025 campaign, with the discipline\u2019s fastest drivers and most formidable cars set to put on a scintillating show at the Rolex 6 Hours of S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/p>\n
The historic Aut\u00f3dromo Jos\u00e9 Carlos Pace \u2013 more commonly known as Interlagos, in recognition of its location \u2018between lakes\u2019 \u2013 is the South American nation\u2019s premier motorsport facility. Having been inaugurated all the way back in 1940, it is celebrating this year its 85th anniversary.<\/p>\n
A regular fixture during FIA WEC\u2019s early seasons, the popular venue rejoined the schedule last summer following a ten-year hiatus, with a huge trackside crowd of more than 73,000 spectators enjoying an exhilarating spectacle of top-flight competition.<\/p>\n
At just 4.309km, the anti-clockwise circuit might be the shortest on the calendar, but its gradient changes and flowing layout make for a considerable challenge. Hypercars hit speeds in the region of 305km\/h \u2013 with approximately half of the lap spent at full throttle \u2013 while the long pit straight and back straight invariably generate plenty of overtaking opportunities.<\/p>\n
TITLE FIGHT INTENSIFIES IN SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE<\/p>\n
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Ferrari arrives in dominant form, having prevailed in every round of the campaign thus far with its trio of all-conquering 499P Hypercars. For those who believe in superstition, it should be noted that only one car number has previously won in S\u00e3o Paulo more than once \u2013 the #51 AF Corse Ferrari in FIA WEC\u2019s LMGTE Pro class in 2012 and 2013. Which of the Italian marque\u2019s three Hypercars currently sits at the summit of the standings? The #51\u2026<\/p>\n
If the statistics are on the side of world championship leaders Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, then the omens are arguably less auspicious for last month\u2019s 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning #83 AF Corse crew. On just one occasion has the same line-up triumphed at both La Sarthe and Interlagos in a single season \u2013 and even then, not in the headlining category \u2013 and last year, neither the Hypercar nor LMGT3 winner in France took the checkered flag inside the top five in Brazil.<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the importance of qualifying, the race has never been won from lower than the front row of the grid, with Toyota\u2019s Hyperpole hegemony in the southern hemisphere\u2019s largest city in 2024 paving the way for the Japanese brand\u2019s 47th FIA WEC victory, at the same circuit where it secured its first. The reigning Manufacturers\u2019 champion has surprisingly yet to reach the rostrum this season \u2013 an unenviable run it will be eager to quash this weekend.<\/p>\n
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Fellow title-holder Porsche clinched its own first podium of 2025 at Le Mans courtesy of an inspired effort by K\u00e9vin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell to split the Ferraris in the #6 963. The Frenchman and Belgian will be without the support of their Australian team-mate in Brazil, but will nonetheless be buoyed by their positive momentum as the German carmaker returns to the scene of its maiden triumph in FIA WEC\u2019s top-tier, and the first of its 14 front row lockouts to-date.<\/p>\n
LOCAL STARS PRIMED TO SHINE IN LMGT3<\/p>\n
Like in Hypercar, the LMGT3 field is composed of 18 ultra-high-calibre protagonists \u2013 with two of them featuring a homegrown hero amongst their ranks. Augusto Farfus shares The Bend Team WRT\u2019s race-winning #31 BMW with Timur Boguslavskiy and Yasser Shahin, and having already ascended the rostrum once this season, the Curitiba native is keen to do so again in front of his enthusiastic fans.<\/p>\n
For FIA WEC rookie Eduardo \u2018Dudu\u2019 Barrichello, meanwhile, S\u00e3o Paulo truly is home, since the 23-year-old \u2013 son of two-time Formula 1 World Championship runner-up Rubens Barrichello\u00a0\u2013 was born in the Latin American megalopolis. Competing for Racing Spirit of L\u00e9man in an Aston Martin Vantage, the Paulista can take encouragement from the fact that no GT marque has achieved more podiums in Brazil than the famous British brand\u2026<\/p>\n
KEY INFO<\/p>\n
The on-track sessions will begin with free practice on Friday, 11 July. Qualifying \u2013 and the all-important Hyperpole top ten shootout \u2013 starts at 14:45 local time (19:45 CEST) on Saturday, 12 July, with the race getting underway at 11:30 local time (16:30 CEST) on Sunday, 13 July.<\/p>\n
For further information, including the full event timetable and entry list, click\u00a0HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n