In the headlining Hypercar category, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA finally fulfilled the promise it has shown all season by converting a peerless performance in qualifying into an equally dominant display in the race.
After Will Stevens and Earl Bamber overhauled early leader Julien Andlauer in the #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 – the former in the pit-lane and the latter courtesy of a gutsy on-track pass – the two Cadillac V-Series.R prototypes went on to establish themselves as the class of the 18-strong field in front of a record trackside audience for FIA WEC in Brazil of 84,741 enthusiastic fans.
Despite having to serve a drive-through penalty for a technical infringement, the #12 entry crewed by Stevens, pole-sitter Alex Lynn and Norman Nato ultimately proved to be unbeatable, as the trio fought back from their early delay to assert their supremacy and cement Cadillac’s status as the first American brand to triumph in the series.
“This is now year number three racing this car, and honestly, seeing what it has become in the hands of JOTA and what the programme has become as well, I’m extremely grateful to be a part of it and honoured to finally win a race in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Cadillac,” enthused Lynn. “This is just the beginning – I think we can achieve everything we dream of with this partnership. The sky’s the limit, and I’m so excited!”
Bamber, Jenson Button and Sébastien Bourdais completed a one-two finish for the American manufacturer, after the latter held off a charging Andlauer in the closing stages, with the Porsche-piloting Frenchman and Michael Christensen rounding out the rostrum in third.
Lexus lights up LMGT3
Much like Cadillac, Lexus has been threatening to steal the show all year, and at Interlagos today, the Japanese marque did just that, with former world champion José María López, Clemens Schmid and Petru Umbrărescu storming to glory in Akkodis ASP Team’s #87 RC F LMGT3.
The #81 TF Sport Corvette ultimately prevailed in a multi-car scrap for second, but the crowd’s biggest cheers were reserved for home hero Eduardo Barrichello. Following up on his pole position on Saturday, the Paulista grittily battled his way past the Iron Dames Porsche almost within sight of the chequered flag to clinch a hugely popular podium finish for Racing Spirit of Léman.
