He might have 30 prior starts under his belt in the FIA World Endurance Championship, but ‘Pipo’ Derani has yet to compete on home soil at the international pinnacle of the long-distance discipline – meaning next weekend’s Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo (10-12 July) is likely to be an emotional occasion for the Brazilian.
Derani has achieved a great deal in the sport over the course of his illustrious career to-date, including two top-tier IMSA titles, victory in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and multiple podium finishes in-class – amongst which a brace of race wins – in FIA WEC.
Following more than three seasons away from the series, in 2026, the 32-year-old Paulista has rejoined the fray with Hypercar category newcomer Genesis Magma Racing, as the South Korean carmaker – the luxury division of major automotive brand Hyundai – makes its first foray into motorsport.
Partnering two-time world champion André Lotterer and rising star Mathys Jaubert behind the wheel of the #17 GMR-001 prototype, Derani played a crucial role in securing the team’s first points courtesy of a gritty defensive effort on distinctly second-hand tyres in round two of the campaign at Spa-Francorchamps, where he took the chequered flag in eighth position.
The trio suffered their first retirement last time out in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, due to suspension failure at two-thirds distance – while in the mix for a second consecutive top ten finish. Spurred on by that frustration, the home hero is keen to convert Genesis’ palpable potential into a result worth celebrating in his ‘backyard’.
“I can’t describe how much I’m looking forward to finally racing in the top class of a high-level championship in my hometown,” Derani enthused. “I’m from São Paulo, but have barely competed at Interlagos during my career, so to be able to go there with Genesis Magma Racing as the only Brazilian driver [in the Hypercar field] will be amazing.
“The Brazilian fans are always great, and I know a lot of them have been following our progress since the start of the project. The retirement at Le Mans was a bit of a disappointment, especially as you could see we made some good steps forward with the performance, but hopefully we can continue our progress and get back to finishing races and scoring some points. To do that in my home race would be amazing.”
“The Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo will be a new challenge for me as it will be my first time racing at Interlagos, but it’s an iconic circuit and I’m really looking forward to it,” added 21-year-old Frenchman Jaubert, one of the stars of the show at La Sarthe after lapping third-quickest in Hyperpole 1, barely a tenth-of-a-second adrift of the fastest time around the 13.626km lap.
“I’ve watched plenty of on-board videos to learn the track and understand its characteristics as much as possible before arriving, and I’ve been able to do some preparation on our simulator. The goal for me and the team for the weekend is to adapt quickly and keep developing the package we currently have. We want to maximise every session, learn as much as possible and continue moving in the right direction during the second half of the season.”
The sister GMR-001 piloted by Mathieu Jaminet, Paul-Loup Chatin and Daniel Juncadella did reach the finish line at Le Mans, albeit nine laps down in 13th place. The crew ran as high as fourth, but a persistent power cycle issue ultimately put paid to their chances of opening their points-scoring account in France.
“Le Mans was an incredibly valuable experience for the whole team,” reflected Chatin, who posted the best Genesis race lap in the twice-round-the-clock contest. “The ten days we spent there were extremely positive and gave us a lot to build upon. Now, our focus is on becoming more competitive and closing the gap to the front, but at the same time, we’re still very much in a development phase, and that’s something we need to keep in mind heading to Interlagos.
“It’s a unique circuit, with a layout that is predominantly low-speed and it’s a place with a lot of history, that I respect a lot. Our goal is to make the most of the weekend, continue improving, keep learning about the car and gradually raise our expectations as we move forward.”
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