The BMW M Team WRT closed the 6 Hours of Fuji with outstanding results in the two categories in which we compete within the FIA WEC. The BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 15, piloted by Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor, finished in the third position of the category Hypercar, while the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 32 got the win in LMGT3.
The result represented the fifth podium of BMW M Team WRT in six races of Hypercar this season. For the self-n.No. 15, in addition, it meant the third podium of the year, after a race in which the team had to overcome from a position of departure complicated.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 15 back to the podium
The classification of the 6 Hours of Fuji was cancelled due to heavy rain, so the BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 15 started the race from the fourteenth position. Despite this disadvantage, Magnussen, Marciello and Vanthoor kept a steady pace for the competition and were moving positions with the support of an effective strategy.
The scenario changed during the last time, when a period of safety car allowed the BMW M Team WRT approach to the first places. Vanthoor took control of the BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 15 in the final part of the race and managed to cross the finish line in third position.
The podium had a special value due to the conditions that started the team. From the fourteenth position and finish among the first three allowed the BMW M Team WRT to add a new important result in the season of the FIA WEC.
Kevin Magnussen highlighted the work done during the race and, particularly, the work of the team of the pit, which proved decisive to achieve the result.
The second BMW M Hybrid V8 team, the n.No. 20 of René Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon van der Linde, had a journey much more complicated. After you've arrived at Fuji as leaders of the drivers ' championship, several incidents caused the car to lose ground during the race and finished in thirteenth position.
As a result, Rast and Frijns went down to the third place of the drivers ' standings, while Magnussen and Marciello is placed just behind. In the constructors ' championship, BMW M Motorsport retains the second position.
Augusto Farfus takes the BMW M4 GT3 EVO to the win on LMGT3
In the category LMGT3, the result was even more prominent for BMW. The BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 32 Team WRT got the victory after a comeback starring Augusto Farfus during the last stretch of the race.
Darren Leung and Sean Gelael had been placed in the car, n.No. 32 in the fight for the first places after you boot from the fourteenth position. However, the last period of the safety car made Farfus fell initially up to the sixth position.
Far from conforming with that position, the pilot is the official BMW M staged a comeback in the last few laps. With a series of overtaking and a competitive pace, Farfus recovered positions quickly to take the lead and take the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 32 to the victory.
The win marked the second victory of the season for the Team WRT in LMGT3, after the result obtained earlier in Imola.
Farfus explained that the different periods of the safety car that complicated the development of the race, but highlighted the opportunity that you had in the last stretch to recover positions quickly.
For Leung and Gelael, the victory also meant an important result after a difficult season. Both pilots highlighted the work done by the team and the development achieved in the last few races.
The BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 69 finishes sixth
The second BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Team WRT, identified with the n.No. 69, also had noteworthy moments during the 6 Hours of Fuji. Dan Harper, Parker Thompson and Anthony McIntosh came to lead the category LMGT3 in different moments of the race.
However, the final part was not favourable for the team. After the last period of the safety car, a pit stop complicated made the car lose positions and eventually finished in the sixth place of the category.
Harper stressed the rhythm shown during the weekend and the environment of the circuit of Fuji, although it acknowledged that the end result was below the expectations of the team. The pilot also congratulated the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 32 for the win.
BMW M Team WRT keeps the fight in the FIA WEC
The result of Fuji allows BMW M Motorsport stay as one of the stars of the FIA WEC. Although the BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 20 lost the lead in the drivers ' championship, the podium was achieved by the n.No. 15, and the victory of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 32 allow the team to close the sixth round of the season with significant results.
Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport, he is especially noted for the comeback of the BMW M Hybrid V8 n.No. 15, and the victory of the BMW M4 GT3 EVO in LMGT3. For the head of BMW M Motorsport, both results demonstrate the ability of the computer to recover even after starting the race from positions unfavorable.
The next round of the FIA WEC will take place in Barcelona, Spain, and will coincide with the end of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup at Portimao. This situation will also change some line-ups of BMW M Motorsport.
Raffaele Marciello, Dan Harper and Augusto Farfus will concentrate on his commitments in the FIA WEC, while Philipp Eng and Marco Wittmann will replace Marciello and Farfus in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 98 ROWE Racing. For his part, Neil Verhagen take the place of Harper in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO n.No. 46 Team WRT.
With a new victory in LMGT3 and a fifth podium in six races of Hypercar, BMW M Team WRT in Fuji leaves a new sample of competitiveness in the FIA WEC and keeps their aspirations for the latest dates of the season.
Source: BMW Group