FIA Press Releases
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WEC: BMW bests rivals to Brazil victory
FIA newsThe Kevin Magnussen/Raffaele Marciello/Dries Vanthoor crew secured the Bavarian manufacturer's second success in just four races, prevailing after a close contest with the reigning world champions in the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P.
In the closing stages of the six-hour bout, Vanthoor found himself under threat from both the #51 Ferrari and recovering #12 Cadillac but held his nerve to take the chequered flag in front of defending world champion James Calado, with Stevens not far behind in third.
Completing the overall podium was the pole-sitting #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA Hypercar, with Will Stevens and Norman Nato securing third place.
“This has been a long time coming,” reflected Magnussen, once a pole-sitter at Interlagos during his Formula 1 career. “I’m just so happy to finally get the victory. I think we had the quickest car today, and it was an absolute pleasure to drive. Everything was on-point, from the strategy to the pit-stops and my two team-mates did an amazing job.”
TEAM TURKEY BY TF TRIUMPHS
The LMGT3 class produced another closely contested multi-manufacturer battle, with Ford Mustang, Corvette, Akkodis ASP Team and Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG all spending time at the head of the field in an enthralling fight for class honours.Ultimately, it was the #81 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette of Salih Yoluç, Charlie Eastwood and Peter Dempsey that emerged victorious, sealing a memorable class win.
The #69 Team WRT BMW of Parker Thompson, Anthony McIntosh and Daniel Harper finished second in LMGT3, while the #92 Manthey Porsche of Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera and Yasser Shahin completed the class podium in third.
World Endurance ChampionshipWECEndurance6 Hours of Sao PauloWEC
SEASON 2026FIACircuit1FIAWorld Endurance ChampionshipCircuitWECSEASON 2026WECEndurance6 Hours of Sao Paulo00Monday, July 13, 2026 - 12:15amMonday, July 13, 2026 - 12:15am -
WEC: Cadillac locks out front row at Interlagos
Sport newsThe British driver aboard the #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA Hypercar claimed pole position and the first Hypercar championship point of the weekend.
Stevens produced a stunning lap of 1:23.041s to edge out the sister Cadillac of Jack Aitken by just 0.048s.
The #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA Hypercar, driven by Jack Aitken, had set the fastest time in the qualifying session to secure its place in the Hyperpole shoot-out. The British driver lapped the Interlagos circuit in 1:23.482s in an incredibly close session that saw the top ten covered by just 0.291s.
In the LMGT3 category, the pole position point was claimed by the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage after Kobe Pauwels set a fastest lap of 1:33.350s in the car he shares with Gray Newell and Jonny Adam this weekend.
Peter Dempsey topped the LMGT3 qualifying session in the #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette to secure a place in the top-ten Hyperpole shoot-out. The Irishman set a best lap of 1:33.808s.
World Endurance ChampionshipWEC6 Hours of Sao PauloEnduranceWEC
SEASON 2026SportCircuit1SportWorld Endurance ChampionshipCircuitWECSEASON 2026WEC6 Hours of Sao PauloEndurance01Saturday, July 11, 2026 - 10:09pmSaturday, July 11, 2026 - 10:09pm -
ICA decision-2026-02 – Hearing 16 06 26 – Fusion Motorsport - 2026 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship – Junior
Sport newsHearing
Case ICA-2026-02: Appeal lodged on behalf of Fusion Motorsport against Decision No. 269 dated 12 April 2026 of the Stewards of the Muro-Leccese Competition (Italy), counting towards the 2026 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship – Junior.
On 12 April 2026, during the Final Phase of Round 1 of the 2026 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship – Junior at Muro-Leccese, Italy, Driver No. 203, Daniel Miron Lorente of Fusion Motorsport, was reported to the Stewards following an incident on lap 19 involving Driver No. 217.
According to the report from Race Control and the Race Director, Driver No. 203 performed an unsafe manoeuvre by dangerously blocking another driver on the start/finish straight. The incident was considered to be a breach of Article 3.6 of the 2026 FIA Code of Driving Conduct.
Following a hearing with the Competitor’s representatives and the Driver, the Stewards issued Decision No. 269, finding that Driver No. 203 had committed an infringement. The Stewards imposed a disqualification from the Final Phase of the Competition and deducted two points from the Driver’s Digital Licence.
On 16 April 2026, Fusion Motorsport lodged an appeal against the Stewards’ Decision before the ICA.
Decision of the International Court of Appeal
The Court, after having heard the parties and examined their submissions, decided to:
- declare the appeal admissible;
- uphold Decision No. 269, dated 12 April 2026, of the Stewards of the Muro-Leccese Competition (Italy) counting towards the 2026 Mondokart.com FIA Karting European Championship – Junior
The International Court of Appeal was presided over by Mr Rui Botica Santos (Portugal), and included, Mr Andre Bezuidenhout (South Africa), Mr Yves Hängärtner (Switzerland) and Mr Jean-Christophe Leroy (France).
The full decision is available here.
FIA Karting European Championship - KZKartingInternational Court of Appeal
SEASON 2026SportCircuit1SportFIA Karting European Championship - KZCircuitInternational Court of AppealSEASON 2026Karting00Friday, July 10, 2026 - 12:07pmFriday, July 10, 2026 - 12:07pm -
WEC: Battle resumes as world’s endurance elite heads to São Paulo
Sport newsThe FIA World Endurance Championship is heading overseas for its first long-haul event of the season this weekend as competitors prepare to tackle Brazil’s iconic Autódromo José Carlos Pace, home to the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo - round four of the 2026 campaign.
The nation’s premier motor sport venue featured on the inaugural FIA WEC calendar in 2012 and remained a popular stop on the schedule for three editions before rejoining the fray following a decade-long absence in 2024. Twelve months ago, almost 85,000 enthusiastic fans filled the grandstands and spectator banks - the third-highest attendance of the year.
The track’s flowing 4.309km, 15-turn anticlockwise layout is the shortest of the season, with Hypercars reaching speeds in the region of 305km/h and approximately half of the lap spent at full throttle.
Its altitude - at almost 800 metres above sea level - pushes cars to the limit, with frequent changes in elevation making it particularly demanding for drivers and plentiful overtaking opportunities guaranteeing exhilarating action from lights to flag.
HYPERCAR HEADLINERS POISED FOR SOUTH AMERICAN SCRAP
The last four FIA WEC races in São Paulo have each gone the way of a different manufacturer, with no circuit having ever produced five different winners consecutively - meaning history could be made this weekend. Of the current Hypercar crop, only Toyota and Cadillac have triumphed at the track, with the Japanese giant the sole marque since the world championship’s inception to have prevailed there more than once.Indeed, Interlagos was the scene of Toyota’s breakthrough victory in the series back in 2012, and the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning TR010 Hybrid will be aiming to follow in the wheeltracks of its ultra-successful TS030 Hybrid and GR010 Hybrid predecessors, both of which took the chequered flag first in Brazil.
Mike Conway - one of the members of last month’s La Sarthe-conquering #7 crew and one of the current world championship leaders - will become only the third driver ever to reach 90 appearances in FIA WEC, joining stablemate Sébastien Buemi and LMGT3 class veteran Richard Lietz. Both Conway and Buemi are counted amongst the 11 previous winners in São Paulo in the 2026 field, in company with Toyota team-mates Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa.
Last year, the story was all about Cadillac, as the American brand broke its duck courtesy of a commanding one-two demonstration with British partner JOTA. The V-Series.R returns to Interlagos as the Hypercar lap record-holder in both qualifying and race trim, and its 2025 victory in South America made Will Stevens and Norman Nato winners on every continent the series has visited.
Since that day, however, Cadillac has yet to reach the rostrum again, with its best subsequent finish being fourth place at Le Mans last month.
If Toyota leads the way in the chase for the crown and Cadillac is the in-form marque at Interlagos, then BMW is the dark horse heading into the weekend. The current campaign is the first in which three different crews have led the standings in the top tier over the course of the opening three rounds, and one of them was the Bavarian manufacturer’s #20 line-up of René Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon van der Linde, which led a top-two lockout at Spa-Francorchamps and followed that up with the runner-up spoils last time out at La Sarthe.
The Belgian result represented BMW’s first outright victory in global endurance racing in almost 27 years, and having conceded the championship lead to Toyota in north-western France three weeks ago, the German car maker is eager to redress the balance.
Ferrari’s dominant early-season run in 2025 came to an abrupt halt in São Paulo, and the famous Maranello-based marque has not won a race since. Nor has the 499P prototype ever placed higher than fifth in Brazil - a statistic the team will be keen to quash this weekend.
MULTIPLE MARQUES PRIMED TO SHINE IN LMGT3
As in Hypercar, FIA WEC hailed a new LMGT3 winner at Interlagos last year, following a similarly impressive performance by Akkodis ASP Team’s Lexus RC F. Following a shaky start to the 2026 season marred by reliability issues at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, Akkodis made good on its palpable promise at Le Mans with a superb second-place finish.Aston Martin is the only brand to register multiple LMGT3 rostrums in São Paulo. Underscoring the Vantage’s affinity with the track, no GT competitor has accumulated more top three finishes there than the British manufacturer’s total of eight. Aston Martin is also the joint-winningest marque at Interlagos across all FIA WEC classes combined.
As an indication of the form guide, the three LMGT3 manufacturers that celebrated on the podium in Brazil last year - Lexus, Aston Martin and Corvette - were reunited on the rostrum last month at Le Mans, while Imola winner BMW will be hoping to leverage the local knowledge in its #32 Team WRT M4 Evo in the shape of Augusto Farfus, one of two home heroes in the event alongside 'Pipo' Derani in Genesis Magma Racing’s #17 GMR-001 Hypercar.
WEEKEND GUIDE
On-track action begins with Free Practice on Friday, 10 July. Qualifying, including the Hyperpole top-ten shootout, starts at 14:30 local time (GMT-3) on Saturday, 11 July, before the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo gets underway at 11:30 local time (GMT-3) on Sunday, 12 July.For the event timetable, entry list and all the essential information click here.
World Endurance ChampionshipWECEndurance6 Hours of Sao PauloWEC
SEASON 2026SportCircuit1SportWorld Endurance ChampionshipCircuitWECSEASON 2026WECEndurance6 Hours of Sao Paulo00Tuesday, July 7, 2026 - 3:57pmTuesday, July 7, 2026 - 3:57pm -
Goodyear Renews FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation
Sport newsThe Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is the governing body for world motor sport and the federation for mobility organisations globally. Its Environmental Accreditation Programme (EAP) provides a structured framework for motor sport and mobility organisations to measure, manage and improve their environmental performance. Accreditation is awarded across three levels, with the three-star rating representing the highest standard of recognition.
The renewal comes after a significant acceleration of Goodyear’s sustainability initiatives across all levels of its racing operations - from manufacturing and product innovation to trackside practices and logistics - demonstrating measurable progress and long-term commitment.
The FIA’s assessment highlighted that “the evidence submitted demonstrates strong top-management commitment to environmental sustainability, supported by a well-structured and well-integrated Environmental Management System (EMS). The system is deeply embedded in the company’s operations, ensuring effective implementation and continual improvement.”
This recognition confirms that sustainability is a strategic priority for Goodyear Racing, with a fully integrated approach embedded across its organization.
DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY FROM FACTORY TO RACETRACK
The accreditation covers Goodyear Racing EMEA’s motor sport programmes, including its activities as the official tire supplier for the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the European Le Mans Series and the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship.Across its operations, Goodyear continues to implement initiatives designed to help reduce environmental impact, including:
- Operating manufacturing facilities in Hanau (Germany) and Colmar-Berg (Luxembourg) powered by 100% renewable electricity procured or from on-site solar installations, alongside all Goodyear EMEA manufacturing sites
- Maintaining internationally recognized standards such as ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001, and ISCC PLUS certification in all EMEA facilities where the Goodyear Racing tires are produced
- Reducing resource consumption and logistics impact through single-specification tire strategies in endurance racing
- Increased virtual development and advanced simulation
- Extending tire life cycles through retreading practices in truck racing and ensuring recycling or energy recovery of the end-of-life tires via our take-back system and Zero Waste to landfill management.
These actions contribute to Goodyear’s long-term sustainability ambitions, including transitioning to 100% renewable energy in manufacturing by 2040, and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 2050.
SETTING A NEW BENCHMARK WITH NEXT-GENERATION RACING TIRES
Further reinforcing this progress, Goodyear recently introduced the 2027 generation of EAGLE racing tires for FIA WEC LMGT3, combining enhanced on-track performance with a 66% sustainable materials content, setting a new benchmark in endurance racing. This progress extends beyond GT racing: in the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship, a new tire specification has also been introduced featuring up to 60% sustainable materials.Goodyear was first awarded the FIA’s three-star environmental accreditation in 2024. These latest advancements demonstrate Goodyear’s strategy of leveraging motor sport as a platform to accelerate innovation and advance sustainable solutions for both racing and road applications.
Xavier Fraipont, Goodyear Racing Vice-President, said: “Renewing the FIA’s highest level of environmental accreditation is a strong validation of the progress we have made in embedding sustainability across our racing operations. Over the past years, we have focused our efforts at every level - from how we design and manufacture our tires to how we operate at the track. Crucially, we are proving that there is no trade-off between performance and a more responsible approach: the two go hand in hand. Motor sport has always been a driver of innovation, and today it also plays a key role in advancing more sustainable mobility. We remain fully committed to building on this progress together with our partners, continuing to push the boundaries of both performance and sustainability.”
Marek Nawarecki, FIA Senior Circuit Sport Director, said: "Goodyear's renewed Three-Star Accreditation reflects exactly the kind of sustained, credible commitment the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is designed to recognise. By embedding sustainability from manufacturing through to trackside operations, Goodyear has demonstrated measurable, lasting progress. It's encouraging to see this level of commitment from a key partner in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, said: “We would like to warmly congratulate Goodyear on the renewal of its FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation, the highest level of recognition within the FIA’s Environmental Accreditation Programme. This achievement reflects the commitment of a major partner of endurance racing, demonstrating that performance and a more responsible approach can progress together. Alongside the ACO, Goodyear plays an important role in developing innovative solutions for motor sport. Endurance racing has always been a laboratory for progress. It must continue to be so, not only in terms of performance, but also in supporting the transformation of mobility. This is the spirit of our collaboration with Goodyear.”
World Endurance ChampionshipWECETRCCircuitEnduranceTruckWEC
SEASON 2026SportCircuit1SportWorld Endurance ChampionshipCircuitWECSEASON 2026WECETRCCircuitEnduranceTruck00Monday, July 6, 2026 - 12:15pmMonday, July 6, 2026 - 12:15pm