Ebrahim Recalls “Busy 48 Hours” in Late WRT Call-Up

Pedro Ebrahim had a “busy 48 hours” after he was tapped as a late replacement for Timur Boguslavskiy in Team WRT’s LMGT3 lineup at this weekend’s 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, revealing that he had his mother fly in his gear from Italy when he received word of his FIA World Endurance Championship debut.

Ebrahim was confirmed on Wednesday to be joining the lineup for the No. 31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO at Interlagos, teaming up with Yasser Shahin as well as compatriot and BMW factory driver Augusto Farfus.

The 20-year-old has been racing BMW machinery with Paradine Competition in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup and took last year’s Pro-Am Sprint title in the Italian GT Championship with Ceccato Racing.

Ebrahim explained to Sportscar365 that he first received word on Monday of a potential opportunity to join WRT.

He revealed that he then had to enlist help from his family to bring his equipment to Interlagos, as he currently lives in Italy.

“Last year I did some marketing activities and hot laps with the clients here with BMW,” Ebrahim said.

“And this year I was supposed to do the same. So I was already supposed to come here, but I was supposed to arrive here like Friday morning or Thursday evening.

“But luckily I was here Saturday already because I was visiting my family in my hometown in Curitiba.

“So I was already around but I had none of my stuff with me. So like equipment, race suit or whatever, helmet, I had nothing but my mom was in Italy.

“So when I got the call on Monday that it was maybe a possibility of doing it, I already called my mom and said, ‘When you’re coming Tuesday, just bring my helmet and all my stuff, because apparently there’s something happening here.'”

The final confirmation of Ebrahim’s WEC debut then came on Tuesday evening, with WRT announcing the lineup change the next day.

“Then I had to do everything, like the small bureaucratic things like scrutineering, meeting the team and check out all the rules and procedures in WEC and try to find a suit.

“OMP Brazil did an amazing job to get me a suit almost identical as the guys are using in less than 24 hours. It was a busy 48 hours for me, but really nice.”

Ebrahim said he “never imagined to be back racing in Brazil so soon” having initially moved overseas in 2023 for a season of Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe with Oregon Team.

“It means the world to me, honestly,” Ebrahim said. “Motorsport is a big thing in Brazil, but not as big in Europe, and Interlagos is the temple of it here in Brazil.

“So when you think about motorsport, when you think about Ayrton Senna, you already connect with Interlagos and the Brazilian colors.

“So it was like a dream for me as a kid to come here the first time and then to race here, as I did at the beginning of my career.

“Then once I went to Europe, I never imagined that I would be back racing in Brazil so soon, because I was doing the European championships.

“It’s hard to come to Brazil, it needs to be a world championship or a South American championship or whatever.

“It is something unbelievable to be in front of my family and friends and home crowd that soon in my career, I never expected it honestly.”

Barrichello: Home WEC Race “Pretty Surreal”

Ebrahim is joined on the LMGT3 grid by Eduardo Barrichello, who is part of the full season lineup for the No. 10 Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.

In contrast to his compatriot, Barrichello revealed to Sportscar365 that he still lives in Sao Paulo, the city where he was born, and described it as an unusual feeling to be able to sleep at home during a WEC weekend.

“In all honesty, man, it’s quite mad,” he said. “Because I’m so used to jetlag and long flights and all that.

“[This time] I just slept in my bed and had my normal breakfast, my orange juice that I love, and just came here and everybody was here.

“So it’s quite special. It’s quite special having my friends around. It’s been really cool.

“It’s been really emotional and also sentimental to have these track walks and knowing that I’m in the World Endurance Championship at home.

“It feels pretty surreal and it honestly is. It feels really weird as well, but yeah, I’m just trying to enjoy it as much as I can.

“When I signed the contract [with Racing Spirit of Leman] I was already anxious to get here.

“It’s really special to have everybody around the structure and everything of just being home and just having the Brazilian crowd, being able to eat Brazilian food is pretty good.”