Tag: Interlagos

37-car entry list revealed for WEC’s return to Brazil

A provisional 37-car entry list has been announced for the FIA World Endurance Championship’s return to the Interlagos circuit in São Paulo next month. After 62 cars took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the entry list for the next round is back to its …

A provisional 37-car entry list has been announced for the FIA World Endurance Championship’s return to the Interlagos circuit in São Paulo next month.

After 62 cars took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the entry list for the next round is back to its usual size, with no guest Hypercars or LMGT3s and no LMP2 cars set to compete alongside the full-season WEC runners. There are, however, several driver lineup tweaks to report for the race on the Interlagos Circuit.

In Hypercar, Proton Competition — like Cadillac Racing — will compete with two drivers in its No. 99 963 once again. Neel Jani and Julien Andlauer will share the car as a pair, as they did at Spa, due to Harry Tincknell’s clashing IMSA commitments. Tincknell is unable to join them in Brazil as he is set to compete with Ford in the IMSA GTD PRO class at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

As expected, following IndyCar star Alex Palou’s guest appearance in the third seat at Le Mans, Cadillac’s V-Series.R will again revert to a two-driver line-up with Alex Lynn and Earl Bamber.

And finally, Mike Conway is set to return to the Toyota team and the No. 7 crew after missing Le Mans due to injury,

Meanwhile, in LMGT3, AKKODIS ASP’s Lexus RC F LMGT3s have had their driver crews shuffled once again. The No. 78 sees full-season Bronze Arnold Robin share the car with returning Clemens Schmid and Kelvin van der Linde.

Schmid is back for a second appearance in the seat usually filled by Timur Boguslavskiy, who has parted ways with the team and will take no further part in the season. According to AKKODIS, Boguslavskiy is set to focus on “new challenges” elsewhere going forward.

Previously, Schmid joined the team on short notice at Spa to fill in for Boguslavskiy, who fell ill just before the event.

The No. 87 sister car will see Jose Maria Lopez return to the lineup after the Argentinian was called up to Toyota’s Hypercar effort to stand in for Conway last time out. He will race with regulars Takeshi Kimura and Esteban Masson, who shared the car with Jack Hawksworth at Le Mans.

And at D’Station Racing, Clément Mateu is back in the No. 777 Aston Martin Vantage after Satoshi Hoshino took the start at Le Mans for what he announced would be his final race at La Sarthe.

The FIA WEC 6 Hours of São Paulo — the series’ first race in Brazil since 2014 — is set for July 14.

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Interlagos to stay on F1 calendar through 2030

Formula 1 has announced a five-year contract extension for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, keeping the race on the calendar through 2030. There were originally two more years on the existing contract beyond this weekend’s event at Interlagos, but with …

Formula 1 has announced a five-year contract extension for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, keeping the race on the calendar through 2030.

There were originally two more years on the existing contract beyond this weekend’s event at Interlagos, but with ongoing investment into the venue to expand its revenue streams beyond motorsport it has been able to commit to a longer-term deal. F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali says retaining the history of Interlagos on the schedule was important.

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“I am delighted to announce we will be staying at Interlagos until 2030, and I can’t wait for many more years of the wonderful atmosphere that the Brazilian fans bring,” Domenicali said. “Brazil has such a rich racing heritage, and this iconic circuit is a favorite of drivers and fans around the world. It embodies everything that is great about racing, and we look forward to seeing how it develops over the years to come to create an even better experience.”

Sao Paulo Grand Prix CEO Alan Adler says more investment can now be made given the certainty the extended contract brings to the race.

“It is a great honor to have the contract extension that ensures Sao Paulo’s place on the Formula 1 calendar,” Adler said. “This is the recognition of the work we have been doing, with the crucial support of the Sao Paulo City Hall. Continuing to be a partner of Formula 1 is a matter of great pride. Now, we will immediately start planning for the years ahead so that we can have even better grand prix editions in the coming years.”

Mayor of Sao Paulo Ricardo Nunes highlighted the importance of the coverage the race brings to the city each year, with another late-season slot in 2024 when the race will be held at the start of November.

“The extension of the contract for the Formula 1 Grande Premio de Sao Paulo, broadcasted in approximately 180 countries, solidifies our city as a global leader in hosting major events with economic and social impact, generating jobs, revenue, and opportunities,” Nunes said. “Each year, we also advance our sustainability agenda, incorporating innovations to overcome challenges and bring more benefits to the city of Sao Paulo and Brazil.”