Ferrari Stole Le Mans. Revenge in Brazil?
The World Endurance Championship resumes at Interlagos on Sunday
With the hype of the 24 Hour now just a brilliant memory, the FIA World Endurance Championship resumes with its first visit to Brazil’s Interlagos’ Autódromo José Carlos Pace in a decade for Sunday’s Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo. And with the rest smarting at Ferrari’s Le Mans double, the race certainly is on for WEC glory in South America this weekend.
It’s Been a Spectacular WEC So Far
It’s been a spectacular World Endurance Championship so far in 2024. Porsche leads the Hypercar chase on 108 points, just nine clear of Ferrari on 99 and Toyota just three points further adrift. Four different teams have won the four races so far too, so it’s super competitive, whichever way you look at it.
Porsche Penske’s 963 won the Bahrain opener, champions Toyota Gazoo Racing’s GR010 Hybrid took the Imola win, and the privateer JOTA’s Porsche 963 grabbed the Spa victory. Ferrari of course completed its 499 double at Le Mans. The WEC reverts to a 19-Hypercar field, with LMGT3 back to 18 cars.
Four Different Winners in Four Endurance Races
Mike Conway is back in the 7 Toyota Gazoo GR010, while Neel Jani and Julien Andlauer will race alone in the Proton Porsche 963 as regular third man Harry Tincknell races IMSA this weekend. Conway’s Le Mans substitute, Jose Maria Lopez returns to the 87 LMGT3 Lexus and Clemens Schmid replaces Timur Boguslavskiy in the sister 78 car.
It’s just as close in LMGT3 where the two Manthey Porsche 911s are tied at the top, just two points clear of the WRT BMW M3. Brazilian interest centers around LMGT3 drivers, BMW man Augusto Farfus and Nicolas Costa in a Lamborghini. The all-girl Iron Dames Lamborghini is always popular with race fans too.
It’s Just as Close in LMGT3
The 15-turn Interlagos is the shortest WEC track for 2024. The Hypercars will still be full throttle for half the lap and should top 305 km/h on the straight. All of which makes the Balance of Performance changes since Le Mans something of a moot point. The different demands of the circuits should rather see Interlagos’ BoP compared to Spa.
Still, it may come as a surprise that Le Mans winner Ferrari has a 16 MJ energy bonus for Brazil. Albeit offset by 5 kW less power and a 17 kg weight gain. Ferrari shares its 1060 kg mass with the now 7kg heavier Toyotas, which gain 6 MJ but lose 2 kW. Porsche will run with an extra kilowatt, four more MJ and 9 kg heavier. Isotta Fraschini gains 5 kW, loses 18 kg at the same energy, while the rest all gain weight, power and energy.
World Endurance 2024 Still All to Play For
So, with more than 104 championship points on the WEC table in Brazil, the USA, Japan and Bahrain, the 2024 World Endurance Title Fight is well and truly on. The São Paulo weekend commences with Friday practice, qualifying and Hyperpole Saturday. The race starts 11:30 local time Sunday 14 July. Follow the race via the official FIA WEC app, with live streaming available on wec.tv.
Images: FIA WEC