In a race full of incidents, BMW has achieved its first victory in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), clinching the win at the end of the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The German brand has managed to execute an alternative strategy that proved crucial in achieving success.
The vehicle #20, a BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh driven by Rene Rast, Sheldon van der Linde, and Robin Frijns, took the lead after an early pit stop with little fuel. This decision turned out to be extremely astute, as a safety car in the penultimate hour forced all hypercars to make a simultaneous stop, consolidating BMW’s position against its rivals.
The return of the competition allowed Frijns to gain a notable advantage during the final stages of the race, leading the WRT team to victory at home.
Race start
The race began with a surprising maneuver by Will Stevens, who overtook the #94 Peugeot 9X8, driven by Loic Duval, and managed to place himself in first position in the Les Combes turn. The Alpine vehicles also experienced a great start, achieving second and fourth positions during the first hour of competition.
Kevin Magnussen, from the #15 BMW, stood out for his spectacular advancement from tenth to fifth position during the first phase of the race, highlighting the pace of his vehicle.
Changes in dynamics
With pit stops underway, the BMW #20 reached first position, while the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Brendon Hartley climbed to second place. Both units showed a worrying lack of fuel, making the options of vehicles following a more conventional strategy evident.
The race changed dramatically when Matteo Cressoni suffered an accident at Les Combes, causing a new safety car and leveling the playing field for all participants. The BMW clearly positioned itself as a leader at the resumption.
Exciting finish
In the closing moments, Frijns managed to maintain his lead, despite a new safety car that disrupted the race’s dynamics. After a series of restarts, the Dutch driver led until the end, crossing the line with less than two seconds ahead of the second-placed Magnussen, who successfully defended his position against an attack from Miguel Molina, from the #50 Ferrari.
The race concluded with a spectacular 1-2 for BMW, with the #50 Ferrari overcoming several difficulties to secure third place. In fourth position, the Aston Martin Valkyrie LMH with Tom Gamble at the wheel, and in fifth position, the Toyota #7.
With this victory, BMW marks a historic moment in its participation in the WEC, and the pressure now falls on other teams to compete with its excellent speed and strategy.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
