In an incident-filled finale to the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship season, Aston Martin Racing scooped the winners’ trophies for both the LMGTE Pro and Am categories while the third and fourth place finishes of the two AF Corse F458 Italias delivered for Ferrari a much deserved FIA Endurance Cup for GT Manufacturers. The Italian manufacturer finished with 288 points against Porsche’s 262 and Aston Martin’s 232.
The 6 Hours of Sao Paulo started in bright sunshine and warm conditions, and the 55,000 spectators were treated to a thrilling race. The threat of rain never materialised, and the competition between Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche was intense from start to finish.
The race result was almost overshadowed by a dramatic accident which occurred 27 minutes before the chequered flag between the No.20 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Mark Webber and the No.90 LMGTE Am 8Star Motorsports Ferrari of Matteo Cressoni. Both drivers were taken to the circuit’s Medical Centre and, after initial examination, to the local Hospital Bandeirantes for further checks but their condition has been reported as satisfactory. The race finished behind the Safety Car for safety reasons.
Darren Turner and Stefan Mücke claimed their second Pro victory of the year to round off a very good weekend for the British marque. Starting from pole position, the British-German duo’s win came despite several incidents including contact from the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari early in the race – pushing Turner off track – and an ‘off’ by the Briton while pushing hard to overtake the No.71 Ferrari. They admitted that a stop under one of the two Full Course Yellows and the late-race safety car helped them enormously as they didn’t have to make another stop for fuel.
Second in LMGTE Pro was the No.92 Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSR of Fred Makowiecki and Patrick Pilet which had a strong race and challenged the Aston Martins hard throughout the race and finished 7.5 seconds behind the winning GTE car after six physically tough hours of racing. Making it three manufacturers on the podium was the No.71 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Davide Rigon and James Calado who celebrated their fifth podium finish of the season.
The winners of the World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers, Gimmi Bruni and Toni Vilander, were hampered by a puncture during the Brazilian race and finished fourth, followed by the No.99 Aston Martin Vantage of Fernando Rees, Alex MacDowall and Darryl O’Young and the No.91 Porsche 911 RSR of Jörg Bergmeister and Richard Lietz. These last two were involved in a clash just over an hour from the finish which resulted in Rees being pushed into the wall at Turn 2. Fortunately he was able to return to the pits and the race, but his hopes of a podium finish at his home race were dashed. The Porsche driver, meanwhile, received a drive through penalty for causing the collision.
The 6 Hours of Sao Paulo was a typically exciting, enthralling and dramatic race, in what has been a hugely competitive year of FIA World Endurance Championship racing in 2014. The 2015 season will begin on the 27/28 March with the official Prologue at Circuit Paul Ricard. Please join us for the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship - we look forward to seeing you there!
Full results can be found HERE and championship points HERE. The LMGTE Am report will follow separately.
Race facts:
19:07:54 SMP Racing #27 wins FIA WEC Trophy for LMP2 teams
19:06:54 Sergey Zlobin wins FIA WEC Trophy for LMP2 drivers
19:04:23 Ferrari win FIA WEC Cup for GT manufacturers
19:03:40 Toyota win FIA WEC Manufacturers championship
19:02:40 249 laps completed by the winner
19:02:03 In GTE Am #98 Aston wins from #95 Aston and #81 Ferrari
19:01:04 In GTE Pro #97 Aston wins from #92 Porsche and #71 Ferrari
19:00:10 In P2 KCMG Oreca #47 from #27 SMP Oreca
18:59:27 Rebellion #13 wins LMP1-L from #12 Rebellion
18:58:43 Porsche #14 wins from #8 Toyota and #1 Audi
18:56:57 Race will end behind the safety car
18:56:32 5 minutes to go
18:51:23 10 minutes to go
18:51:00 Rear bodywork change for Audi #2
18:50:35 Rebellion #12 into pits
18:48:59 Audi #2 back out
18:47:54 Audi #2 into its garage
18:42:10 Webber reported to be ok
18:40:00 Webber in #20 being attended to
18:39:29 Cressoni out of car and appears ok
18:35:35 Ferrari #90 was involved
18:34:24 Posche #20 involved with Ferrari
18:33:27 Safety car
18:30:28 Stops for #51 Ferrari and #99 Aston
18:27:51 Stop and go for #61 Ferrari for pit lane infringement
18:26:43 Oreca #27 back out - only has to complete 70% of P2 winners distance to win FIA WEC championship for team
18:25:12 Fastest lap for Pilet in GTE Pro in #92 Porsche with 1:30.101
18:24:06 Aston #95 takes 2nd in GTE Am from #81 Ferrari
18:22:52 Sarrazin now in #7 Toyota
18:22:27 Drive through penalty for #91 Porsche after incident with #99 Aston
18:21:37 Toyota #7 into pits
18:20:39 Porsche #14 retakes the lead
18:20:09 Toyota #8 stops
18:19:27 Porsche #20 stops
18:19:00 SMP Oreca #27 has been in pits for 11 minutes
18:13:46 Audi #1 stops - should be last pit stop of career for Tom Kristensen
18:12:35 Davidson takes lead in #8 Toyota
18:11:53 Leading Porsche #14 into pits
18:10:33 Stop for leading #71 Ferrari in GTE Pro - Calado in - #97 Aston takes lead
18:09:17 Toyota #7 takes 4th from Audi #2
18:08:38 Porsche #92 stops #97 Aston takes 2nd in GTE Pro
18:06:00 Ligier #26 incident much earlier in race was caused by a locking brake
18:05:14 After 5 hours #98 Aston leads by a lap from #81 Ferrari and #95 Aston
18:03:52 Stop for #91 Porsche after incident with #99 Aston - Lietz gets in
18:03:06 After 5 hours #92 Porsche leads GTE Pro by 12 seconds from #71 Ferrari and #97 Aston
18:01:56 In P2 after 5 hours #47 Oreca leads #27 Oreca by 8 laps
18:01:01 Touch between #2 Audi and a Ferrari
18:00:24 After 5 hours #14 Porsche leads by 1 second from #8 Toyota and Audi #1
17:58:41 Aston #99 drops to 6th in GTE Pro
17:57:41 Collision between #91 Porsche and #99 Aston
17:54:28 Porsche #75 into pit to replace flat spotted tyre
17:53:05 Porsche #75 has a big lock up
17:50:43 Aston #95 takes 2nd in GTE Am
17:48:56 Ferrari #81 pits from 2nd in GTE Am
17:43:26 Porsche #92 takes GTE Pro lead after stop for #97 Aston - Mucke now in
17:42:33 Porsche #20 now a lap behind 2nd place #8 Toyota
17:34:46 Jani in #14 Porsche takes lead from #8 Toyota and #1 Audi after penultimate pit stops for LMP1s
17:33:14 Porsche #20 pits - Webber gets in
17:32:31 Both Rebellions now back out - #13 leads LMP1-L
17:30:49 Hartley in #20 takes the lead
Fiona Miller
