Aston Martin Doubles Up in Sao Paulo

Photo: John Dagys

Aston Martin Racing scored a double class victory in Sunday’s FIA WEC season-ending Six Hours of Sao Paulo, with the British manufacturer taking both GTE-Pro and GTE-Am class honors.

Stefan Muecke piloted the No. 97 Vantage GTE to its second class victory of the season, thanks in part due to the race-ending safety car period that ensured class victory for the German and co-driver Darren Turner.

Muecke held a 46-second gap over the No. 92 Porsche Team Manthey Porsche 911 RSR of Fred Makowiecki prior to the yellow, but would have needed an additional fuel stop if the race had gone green again.

Makowiecki and co-driver Patrick Pilet came home in second, with the No. 71 AF Corse Ferrari F458 Italia of Davide Rigon and James Calado completing the GTE-Pro podium in third, which helped clinch the GTE Manufacturers Cup for Ferrari.

GTE-Pro champions Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander came home in fourth after an incident-filled race, which was also the case for the No. 99 Aston Martin, which suffered late-race contact with the No. 91 Porsche but still managed to complete the top-five in class.

Aston Martin’s No. 98 entry of Pedro Lamy, Christoffer Nygaard and Paul Dalla Lana, meanwhile, picked up GTE-Am honors for the third time this season following a flawless run for the championship runner-ups.

It came following an intense early race battle with the sister title-winning No. 95 car of Nicki Thiim, but faced multiple setbacks, including a collision with Vilander that led to a puncture.

Thiim and co-drivers David Heinemeier Hansson and Kristian Poulsen, however, managed to rebound to finish second, maintaining their record of either first or second place finishes in all eight races this year.

The No. 81 AF Corse Ferrari of Michele Rugolo, Andrea Bertolini and Steve Wyatt completed the podium in third.

8Star’s Matteo Cressoni, who was collected in Mark Webber’s race-ending accident, also escaped serious injury but was taken to the circuit medical center for further evaluation.

RESULTS: Six Hours of Sao Paulo

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John