Preview: 6 hours of São Paulo

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: WEC, Rick Kiewiet

The World Endurance Championship returns to Interlagos this weekend for the fifth round of the season — the 6 Hours of São Paulo — with Ferrari looking over its shoulder. The Italian marque arrives as the clear championship leader after sweeping the first half of the year, but the BoP bulletin suggests the pack is being given every opportunity to close the gap. Sunday 3.30 PM BST the lights go green for the 2nd half of the WEC season.

Ferrari performance trimmed in Brazil

Ferrari’s dominant run has triggered a sizeable rollback in its performance window. The 499P now matches Toyota for the highest minimum weight on the grid, at 1069 kg, and carries the lowest base power in the Hypercar class at just 480 kW — even 5 kW shy of Toyota’s figure. Add in a further cut in stint energy, now reduced to 893 MJ, and the reigning Le Mans winners suddenly find themselves at the wrong end of the performance chart.

While Ferrari’s top speed numbers have been slightly boosted above 250 km/h, the gains will be of limited use on a circuit where only two sections — the long run down to Turn 1 and the straight out of the Senna S — allow the cars to stretch their legs. Interlagos isn’t about raw speed. It’s about agility, traction, and tire management — none of which are helped by extra weight and reduced power.

Cadillac, on the other hand, looks poised to capitalize. A 15 kW bump in power and a drop to 1040 kg makes the V-Series.R one of the most potent packages on paper. The question mark, as ever, lies in its ability to control tire wear across a stint — a recurring issue that was on full display at Le Mans.

Porsche also appears well-positioned. A 7 kW power boost and 2 kg drop in weight bring the 963 closer to its Le Mans form, where it ran Ferrari close to the finish. If track conditions favor tire preservation, Porsche could be a serious contender again — especially with momentum on its side.

BMW and Alpine have both been handed extra ballast after strong runs at Spa, but only one of them retains the power to compensate. BMW adds 2 kW to go with its 9 kg increase, while Alpine loses 8 kW in the same adjustment — a puzzling hit for a car still chasing its first real breakthrough.

Peugeot and Aston Martin remain at the BoP floor with 1030 kg and 520 kW. Both had quiet races at Le Mans and appear to be treated with caution in the current system. Toyota, despite gains in both power and post-250 km/h boost, still faces the challenge of being balanced against Ferrari's early-season pace. The GR010 Hybrid hasn’t shown the raw one-lap speed of its rivals this year, but remains a consistent operator — and São Paulo might be where that pays off.

Local names to watch

Two local hero's with big names in motorsport will contest the 6 hours.

Augusto Farfus leads the charge in the LMGT3 category, hoping to bounce back from a tough run with Team WRT’s #31 BMW M4. After a podium in Qatar, the season has unraveled — but a return to home soil may offer the reset the crew needs. Farfus knows the circuit better than most, and if the updated EVO package finally clicks, WRT could find itself in the mix on Sunday.

Then there’s Eduardo Barrichello, one of the newest faces on the WEC grid. The 23-year-old son of Rubens Barrichello continues to make strides in the Aston Martin LMGT3, and while the Racing Spirit of Léman car hasn’t been a headline act yet, the Interlagos layout plays to the strengths of the Vantage. With the crowd firmly behind him, a standout result isn’t out of the question.

As the title fight tightens, and with BoP now pulling the strings harder than ever, São Paulo could mark a key turning point in the season. Ferrari may still be in command, but in Brazil, the script has shifted — and the race is wide open.