WEC São Paulo: Cadillac Secures Historic Win
In a groundbreaking display at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, Cadillac clinched its inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) victory, marking a significant achievement for the brand and Hertz Team Jota. This win solidifies Jota’s status as the first team in the Hypercar era to secure victories with multiple manufacturers in the top class.
Race Highlights and Results
Norman Nato, who missed Jota’s previous win at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa due to Formula E commitments, scored his first victory with the team—his third overall WEC win following two successes with Rebellion Racing in 2019/20. Will Stevens, also part of Jota’s roster, captured his second WEC win, becoming the sole driver to achieve victories with two different marques in Hypercar.
Cadillac’s triumph is notably significant as it is believed to be the first FIA World Championship win for any General Motors brand since RML’s Chevrolet Cruze won in Macao in 2013. Alex Lynn added to the team’s accolades, achieving consecutive pole positions and securing his first WEC overall win.
Sebastien Bourdais attained his first FIA WEC overall podium. The #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 finished on the podium for the first time this season, marking a notable performance for Julian Andlauer.
Conversely, Toyota Gazoo Racing faced a disappointing outing, finishing 14th and 15th overall—its first failure to score World Championship points since double disqualifications at Silverstone in 2018.
LMGT3 Milestones
In LMGT3, Lexus and Akkodis ASP celebrated their debut race wins, with drivers Clemens Schmid and Petru Umbrarescu also earning their first victories; the latter being recognized as the first Romanian winner in any class of a FIA World Championship event. José María López made history by becoming the first driver to win in both Hypercar and LMGT3.
The #81 TF Sport Corvette team continued its strong performance, achieving back-to-back podiums after a third-place finish at Le Mans. Racing Spirit of Leman’s Aston Martin squad also made headlines with their first FIA WEC podium.
The South American contingent notably excelled, with four drivers from three nations making podium appearances.
Technical Insights
Post-race, AKKODIS ASP owner Jerome Policand credited the new Goodyear Eagle Hard tire for their performance. “We concentrated on making the car quicker…thanks to Goodyear’s Harder compound, which was key to us today,” he noted.
In contrast, Alpine’s #35 A424 faced significant challenges, suffering a MGU failure in practice followed by a battery issue during the race, resulting in substantial time loss.
Record Attendance
The event attracted a record attendance of 84,741 fans, a marked increase from last year’s numbers, reflecting the growing popularity of the WEC in South America.
