2026 6 Hours of São Paulo preview: A different challenge
Attentions now turn to WEC's following round on Brazil
With the aftermath of Le Mans now behind us, attention has turned to the fourth round of the 2026 World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of São Paulo.
In contrast to the high-speed nature of the two most recent rounds at Spa and Le Mans, Interlagos is a far more technical venue and will therefore provide a fresh challenge for the teams and drivers.
Toyota
Fresh off its sixth overall victory at Le Mans, Toyota will be confident heading to Sao Paulo. It was the site of the team’s very first WEC victory in 2012, a feat that was repeated in 2024.
However, a lack of one lap and race pace prevented both Toyotas from reaching the top ten last year, the team’s first pointless race since 2018.
With two wins in three races so far this year, at both a technical, but fast, track in Imola and at Le Mans, Toyota will be keen to show they can perform at Interlagos, a track of two halves, with fast first a third sectors, and a twisty, slow second sector.
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Not least because of the slim lead they hold in both championships. Championships are often won by the 'least worst' results, and that may well be at Interlagos if Toyota can limit the damage should the TR010 not perform as well here.
Cadillac
Image: DPPI/WEC
Having missed out on a possible victory at Le Mans, Cadillac have a point to prove. The V-Series.R has been quick at various points in 2026, but this form is yet to be rewarded with silverware.
The team has tweaked its driver lineup for Brazil. Will Stevens and Norman Nato will take to the track, minus Alex Lynn, who continues his recovery from a neck injury sustained in 2024, and the subsequent surgery which forced him to miss Le Mans.
Having dominated last year’s event with the two fastest times in qualifying and a one-two in the race, Cadillac will be looking for a repeat in 2026. The evo update applied to the car has improved the V-Series.R's raceability, improving its top speed and balance, so it's all to play for in Brazil for Cadillac and factory partner team JOTA.
Ferrari
Ferrari narrowly missed out on victory at Imola, secured a podium in Belgium and was well off the pace at Le Mans. As a result, the prancing horse will be keen to get back into championship contention at Interlagos.
The extent to which BoP was responsible for the lacklustre performance at Le Mans is unclear.
What is certain is the poor run of form Ferrari has had in Brazil. The team is yet to finish on the podium at Interlagos, with last year’s race a particular point of contention.
Hobbled by BoP changes, the 499P had little to no pace throughout. The No.83 AF Corse car was the only points finisher, two laps down on the leading Cadillac. Should the team be saddled with similar restrictions, there’s a chance Ferrari will once again fail to make an impression in 2026.
Alpine
Hindered by BoP in 2025, due in part to podiums in the previous two rounds, Alpine had a frustrating weekend in Brazil last year.
The No. 36 car made steady progress from 16th to ninth in the race, but the sister No. 35 car suffered hybrid issues and ended up last of the classified finishers.
So far this year they've been a bit anonymous, with points finishes but never having the ultimate pace to challenge for a win. The highlight was fourth at Le Mans for the No. 36 car. Having failed to shine at Le Mans and having avoided any major reliability issues, Alpine could stand to benefit from BoP this weekend.
BMW
Image: DPPI/WEC
BMW has been one of the more consistent fixtures of this 2026 season. The No.20 car of René Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon van der Linde finished fifth at the season opener, led home the team’s first-ever one-two at Spa and was a strong contender for victory at Le Mans.
The team may never have tasted success at Interlagos, but if recent form is anything to go by, BMW M Team WRT could be considered dark horses going into this weekend.
The No.15 has had a slightly rockier year than its sister car. Dries Vanthoor took pole at Le Mans after Jack Aitken's lap was deleted, but the car struggled for pace all race compared to the No.20.
Peugeot
Peugeot has endured an disappointing 2026 thus far.
A shock maiden pole at Spa was offset by anonymous weekends at Imola and Le Mans, where neither car troubled the top ten.
The 9X8 Hybrid’s strengths have generally emerged on power-sensitive circuits which, given Interlagos’ relatively technical nature, could be a persistent issue. The Brazilian circuit is also bumpy, which has upset and disrupted the 9X8's delicate aero in the past.
Aston Martin
Despite occupying the lower end of the top ten at Le Mans, Aston Martin are confident heading into Sao Paulo, having scored points in every round so far this season.
Harry Ticknell, driver of the No.007 car has stated that this race was considered a turning point for the team last year, following which they began consistently challenging for points.
Alex Riberas in the No.009 car has claimed that the mix of low and medium-speed corners should suit the Valkyrie.
Having failed to score points so far this season, Riberas and his teammates will be keen to capitalise on their package and help produce the double points finish The Heart of Racing team principal Ian James thinks is possible.
Genesis
Image: DPPI/WEC
For Genesis, their prioritisation of mileage and reliability over major results is unlikely to change. Despite mechanical issues at Le Mans, the No.19 was able to finish the race.
Brazil represents a brand-new challenge for the team; not only will this be their first competitive outing outside of Europe, which brings with it its own operational challenges, but Interlagos’ technical layout is a far cry from what the team has contested thus far.
Mathys Jaubert has never raced at the circuit before and has emphasised the importance of learning as much as possible from every available session. Despite this being his home race, teammate Pipo Derani has very little racing experience at Interlagos.
Understandably disappointed with the DNF at Le Mans, Derani remained upbeat about the progress Genesis has made and stated that finishing was a priority.
Who will come out on top?
It remains to be seen who will have the edge in Brazil, but with Toyota on a high, BMW a constant threat and the possibility of an upset from teams further down the grid, this year’s 6 Hours of São Paulo could serve as a turning point in the world championship.
The 2026 6 Hours of São Paulo will begin at 11:30 AM local time on the 12th of July, or 3:30 PM in the UK, or 4:30 PM in Europe.
Read Next
It’s not exactly news that the Hypercar era of the World Endurance Championship has been a popular one. It was this ruleset that got the WEC back to being a popular series, bringing back several topline automotive manufacturers to race in the top echelon of endurance racing.
As a result, the audience came too, and the WEC’s popularity has been rising ever since and the Hypercar regulations are now seen as the best regulations to have hit endurance racing since the iconic Group C era.
The Group C era is still seen as the strongest era for endurance racing, but can the Hypercar era ever eclipse it?
With the aftermath of Le Mans now behind us, attention has turned to the fourth round of the 2026 World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of São Paulo.
In contrast to the high-speed nature of the two most recent rounds at Spa and Le Mans, Interlagos is a far more technical venue and will therefore provide a fresh challenge for the teams and drivers.
Toyota
Fresh off its sixth overall victory at Le Mans, Toyota will be confident heading to Sao Paulo. It was the site of the team’s very first WEC victory in 2012, a feat that was repeated in 2024.
However, a lack of one lap and race pace prevented both Toyotas from reaching the top ten last year, the team’s first pointless race since 2018.
With two wins in three races so far this year, at both a technical, but fast, track in Imola and at Le Mans, Toyota will be keen to show they can perform at Interlagos, a track of two halves, with fast first a third sectors, and a twisty, slow second sector.
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Not least because of the slim lead they hold in both championships. Championships are often won by the 'least worst' results, and that may well be at Interlagos if Toyota can limit the damage should the TR010 not perform as well here.
Cadillac
Having missed out on a possible victory at Le Mans, Cadillac have a point to prove. The V-Series.R has been quick at various points in 2026, but this form is yet to be rewarded with silverware.
The team has tweaked its driver lineup for Brazil. Will Stevens and Norman Nato will take to the track, minus Alex Lynn, who continues his recovery from a neck injury sustained in 2024, and the subsequent surgery which forced him to miss Le Mans.
Having dominated last year’s event with the two fastest times in qualifying and a one-two in the race, Cadillac will be looking for a repeat in 2026. The evo update applied to the car has improved the V-Series.R's raceability, improving its top speed and balance, so it's all to play for in Brazil for Cadillac and factory partner team JOTA.
Ferrari
Ferrari narrowly missed out on victory at Imola, secured a podium in Belgium and was well off the pace at Le Mans. As a result, the prancing horse will be keen to get back into championship contention at Interlagos.
The extent to which BoP was responsible for the lacklustre performance at Le Mans is unclear.
What is certain is the poor run of form Ferrari has had in Brazil. The team is yet to finish on the podium at Interlagos, with last year’s race a particular point of contention.
Hobbled by BoP changes, the 499P had little to no pace throughout. The No.83 AF Corse car was the only points finisher, two laps down on the leading Cadillac. Should the team be saddled with similar restrictions, there’s a chance Ferrari will once again fail to make an impression in 2026.
Alpine
Hindered by BoP in 2025, due in part to podiums in the previous two rounds, Alpine had a frustrating weekend in Brazil last year.
The No. 36 car made steady progress from 16th to ninth in the race, but the sister No. 35 car suffered hybrid issues and ended up last of the classified finishers.
So far this year they've been a bit anonymous, with points finishes but never having the ultimate pace to challenge for a win. The highlight was fourth at Le Mans for the No. 36 car. Having failed to shine at Le Mans and having avoided any major reliability issues, Alpine could stand to benefit from BoP this weekend.
BMW
BMW has been one of the more consistent fixtures of this 2026 season. The No.20 car of René Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon van der Linde finished fifth at the season opener, led home the team’s first-ever one-two at Spa and was a strong contender for victory at Le Mans.
The team may never have tasted success at Interlagos, but if recent form is anything to go by, BMW M Team WRT could be considered dark horses going into this weekend.
The No.15 has had a slightly rockier year than its sister car. Dries Vanthoor took pole at Le Mans after Jack Aitken's lap was deleted, but the car struggled for pace all race compared to the No.20.
Peugeot
Peugeot has endured an disappointing 2026 thus far.
A shock maiden pole at Spa was offset by anonymous weekends at Imola and Le Mans, where neither car troubled the top ten.
The 9X8 Hybrid’s strengths have generally emerged on power-sensitive circuits which, given Interlagos’ relatively technical nature, could be a persistent issue. The Brazilian circuit is also bumpy, which has upset and disrupted the 9X8's delicate aero in the past.
Aston Martin
Despite occupying the lower end of the top ten at Le Mans, Aston Martin are confident heading into Sao Paulo, having scored points in every round so far this season.
Harry Ticknell, driver of the No.007 car has stated that this race was considered a turning point for the team last year, following which they began consistently challenging for points.
Alex Riberas in the No.009 car has claimed that the mix of low and medium-speed corners should suit the Valkyrie.
Having failed to score points so far this season, Riberas and his teammates will be keen to capitalise on their package and help produce the double points finish The Heart of Racing team principal Ian James thinks is possible.
Genesis
For Genesis, their prioritisation of mileage and reliability over major results is unlikely to change. Despite mechanical issues at Le Mans, the No.19 was able to finish the race.
Brazil represents a brand-new challenge for the team; not only will this be their first competitive outing outside of Europe, which brings with it its own operational challenges, but Interlagos’ technical layout is a far cry from what the team has contested thus far.
Mathys Jaubert has never raced at the circuit before and has emphasised the importance of learning as much as possible from every available session. Despite this being his home race, teammate Pipo Derani has very little racing experience at Interlagos.
Understandably disappointed with the DNF at Le Mans, Derani remained upbeat about the progress Genesis has made and stated that finishing was a priority.
Who will come out on top?
It remains to be seen who will have the edge in Brazil, but with Toyota on a high, BMW a constant threat and the possibility of an upset from teams further down the grid, this year’s 6 Hours of São Paulo could serve as a turning point in the world championship.
The 2026 6 Hours of São Paulo will begin at 11:30 AM local time on the 12th of July, or 3:30 PM in the UK, or 4:30 PM in Europe.
Read Next
It’s not exactly news that the Hypercar era of the World Endurance Championship has been a popular one. It was this ruleset that got the WEC back to being a popular series, bringing back several topline automotive manufacturers to race in the top echelon of endurance racing.
As a result, the audience came too, and the WEC’s popularity has been rising ever since and the Hypercar regulations are now seen as the best regulations to have hit endurance racing since the iconic Group C era.
The Group C era is still seen as the strongest era for endurance racing, but can the Hypercar era ever eclipse it?
That's what we explore in our latest video.
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