In the headline Hypercar class, Cadillac Racing and Hertz Team JOTA finally turned potential into performance at Interlagos, delivering a commanding one-two finish in front of a record-breaking FIA WEC crowd of 84,741 fans in Brazil.
Having shown strong pace all season, the #12 Cadillac V-Series.R stormed to victory following a composed and confident drive from Will Stevens, Alex Lynn, and Norman Nato—the latter celebrating his 33rd birthday earlier in the week. Despite being hit with a drive-through penalty for a technical infringement, the trio rebounded in style to take a landmark win, securing Cadillac’s first-ever FIA World Endurance Championship triumph and making history as the first American brand to reach the top step of the podium in the Hypercar era.
The foundations of that success were laid early. Stevens leapfrogged Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Julien Andlauer in the pit lane, while Bamber pulled off a bold on-track pass to wrest control from the #5 Porsche 963. From there, the Cadillac duo controlled the pace, proving untouchable across the 18-strong Hypercar field.
“This is year three with this car, and to see how far we’ve come with JOTA and the Cadillac programme is incredible,” said Lynn. “To finally win in WEC feels amazing – this is just the start. The sky’s the limit.”
Earl Bamber, who celebrated his 35th birthday just days earlier, partnered with Jenson Button and Sébastien Bourdais to complete Cadillac’s one-two, holding off a late charge from Andlauer and Michael Christensen, who secured third for Porsche.
Defending world champions Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor brought the #6 Porsche home fourth, albeit a lap behind the winners. BMW M Team WRT used strategy to great effect, saving fresh tyres for a late push that elevated the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 to fifth ahead of both Peugeots—the #94 leading the #93—as the French team celebrated its first double top ten of the season.
There was less cause for celebration at Ferrari, as the championship leaders endured a subdued weekend. The #83 customer 499P, victorious at Le Mans, finished eighth, while the two factory-entered cars struggled to 11th and 12th. Toyota, meanwhile, suffered its worst outing in the Hypercar era, failing to score points for the first time in the category.
Lexus Breaks Through in LMGT3
In the LMGT3 class, Lexus finally delivered on its season-long promise with a standout win for Akkodis ASP Team and its #87 RC F, driven by José María López, Clemens Schmid, and Petru Umbrărescu.
López, a former world champion, was delighted to take victory in front of family and friends after last year’s struggles at Interlagos.
“This race was our worst last year, but the team worked hard and we came back stronger,” said López. “It means a lot to win here—especially with my dad and brothers in the grandstands. I even got a drive-through for speeding, but it wouldn’t be me without a little drama!”
Behind them, the #81 TF Sport Corvette came out on top in a fierce battle for second. But the biggest cheers of the day were reserved for Eduardo Barrichello, who thrilled the home crowd by claiming third in the Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin. After starting on pole, the young Brazilian fought past the Iron Dames Porsche in the final laps to secure a podium finish on home soil.
Next Stop: Texas
Following the traditional summer break, the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship resumes at the Circuit of The Americas for the Lone Star Le Mans on 5–7 September, where the title battles will intensify heading into the final stretch of the season.
The RacerViews info
By Matt Hancock
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