The Autódromo José Carlos Pace has a way of rewarding commitment. It is a circuit that demands rhythm, punishes hesitation and, when mastered, delivers moments of pure clarity. In qualifying for the latest round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, two performances – one expected, one emerging – captured that essence perfectly.
Hypercar
Cadillac once again underlined its growing authority in the Hypercar ranks, but this time it was not dominance that defined the story – it was precision.
Ricky Stevens left it until the final moments of the 10-minute Hyperpole session to produce the lap that mattered. In doing so, he edged out teammate Jack Aitken by just 0.048 seconds, securing pole position for the #12 V-Series.R and making it four different pole-winning manufacturers in four races this season. The margins were slim, but the execution was exact.
It marked Cadillac’s second consecutive year locking out the top two spots in qualifying at Interlagos, though without the complications that reshuffled the order twelve months ago. More importantly, it signalled consistency: a third straight front-row start in 2026 and a fifth pole position in the programme’s WEC history.
Yet there is an underlying tension to Cadillac’s form. Despite its evident pace, the marque has not stood on the podium since its breakthrough victory at this very circuit. Stevens, sharing driving duties with Norman Nato, is acutely aware of that gap between potential and reward.
“It wasn’t easy, but we made it happen,” he reflected after the session. “This track is really tricky to piece together, and we didn’t have the cleanest preparation. But the car kept improving, and I knew the final lap would be the one.”
Behind the Cadillac pair, Alpine continued to impress in what has quietly become one of the most compelling development arcs in the field. Rookie Victor Martins came within 0.067 seconds of pole, reinforcing both his own credentials and the A424’s growing competitiveness. Charles Milesi ensured both cars remained firmly in contention, underlining Alpine’s depth.
BMW’s Dries Vanthoor split the French entries in fourth, maintaining the marque’s presence at the sharp end, while Genesis Magma Racing’s upward trajectory continued with Mathieu Jaminet securing sixth. The South Korean project, still in its infancy, is beginning to show credible pace across varying circuit profiles.
Ferrari, by contrast, endured a more subdued session. Antonio Fuoco led the charge in seventh, while both the #51 and #83 entries struggled to assert themselves in a tightly packed field. Toyota, unusually, found itself on the back foot, with neither car progressing beyond the opening phase of qualifying – a reminder of just how compressed and unforgiving the Hypercar category has become.
LMGT3
If Hypercar qualifying was defined by marginal gains, LMGT3 delivered a statement.
Belgium’s rising talent Pauwels produced a performance of composure and conviction to secure pole position for Heart of Racing Team’s #23 Aston Martin, marking only his second appearance in the FIA WEC. It was not simply the result that stood out, but the manner in which it was achieved.
Having already shown promise at Imola earlier in the season, Pauwels arrived at Interlagos with limited experience – like his teammates Gray Newell and Jonny Adam, he had never driven the circuit prior to the weekend. That unfamiliarity proved irrelevant.
Newell, the Bronze-rated driver, laid the foundation with an assured run to bring the car into Hyperpole contention. From there, Pauwels took control. Two laps – both good enough for pole – demonstrated not only speed but an understanding of timing and tyre management beyond his experience.
“Our pace was strong in FP2, so we knew we could be competitive if we made Hyperpole,” he explained. “But to be on pole by almost two tenths – that was unexpected.”
His decisive lap, executed on the second push when the tyres reached their peak, was described by the 21-year-old as “perfection” through every corner. The result was the fastest-ever LMGT3 lap recorded at Interlagos and Aston Martin’s 72nd pole position across all WEC classes – a new series benchmark.
Behind him, Iron Lynx continued its strong form, with Lin Hodenius placing the #79 Mercedes-AMG second, 0.199 seconds adrift. Clemens Schmid secured third in the Akkodis ASP Lexus, with Parker Thompson and Ben Tuck close behind in a tightly compressed top five.
Further down the order, the usual contenders found themselves out of position. The championship-leading TF Sport Corvette of Ben Keating could manage only 12th, while both Ferrari entries from VISTA AF Corse and the Garage 59 McLarens failed to reach Hyperpole. The #78 Lexus, fresh from a runner-up finish at Le Mans, also exited early.
As ever in LMGT3, the margins were narrow, but the implications are significant. With strategy, traffic and driver rotation all set to play decisive roles, Pauwels’ breakthrough pole offers track position – but no guarantees.
