The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship will embark upon the first of its ‘flyaway’ races next weekend, with the official entry list now available for round four of the campaign – the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo on 10-12 July.
Toyota leads the way in the headlining Hypercar category following its sixth outright success in the 24 Hours of Le Mans earlier this month. The Japanese manufacturer – bidding to bounce back from a tough 2025 – has prevailed in two of FIA WEC’s previous five contests around the legendary Autódromo José Carlos Pace, more than any other marque.
BMW – a first-time Hypercar winner at Spa-Francorchamps in May – and reigning title-holder Ferrari are in hot pursuit, although the Prancing Horse struggled for speed at Interlagos last season. Cadillac, meanwhile, is unquestionably the dark horse in the pack, having unleashed podium-challenging pace in all three events in 2026, but for a variety of reasons, having yet to reach the rostrum.
Just under 12 months ago, Anglo-American outfit Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA was on dominant form in Brazil, racing to a commanding one-two finish – marking the Detroit-based brand’s maiden triumph in the series. The victorious #12 V-Series.R will be piloted by just Will Stevens and Norman Nato next weekend, as the duo endeavour to replicate that standout result.
Elsewhere in Hypercar, Aston Martin’s pair of Valkyries have also slimmed down to two-driver line-ups, while there are a number of changes to the list in LMGT3. Imola ‘super-sub’ Kobe Pauwels returns to Heart of Racing Team’s #23 Aston Martin Vantage in place of ‘Dudu’ Barrichello, who is unable to compete on home soil due to a clashing commitment with his GTD class programme in IMSA, which he currently leads.
Recent Le Mans winner Nicky Catsburg is absent from the #33 TF Sport Corvette on similar grounds, with the Dutchman due to be replaced by Nicolás Varrone, who spent 2025 competing for Proton Competition in FIA WEC’s Hypercar division, finishing inside the points-paying positions in São Paulo.
Esteban Masson, finally, will re-take the wheel of Akkodis ASP Team’s #78 Lexus RC F, buoyed by his LMP2 class heroics at Le Mans. The French squad – much like Cadillac – travels back to Brazil with happy memories, as the scene of its breakthrough series triumph…
Check out the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo event timetable and entry list.
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