Experience, Track Limits Factors for Wittmann Choice in Sao Paulo

Previous circuit and series knowledge as well as a reduced risk of incurring track limit penalties were two of the main factors that led BMW and Team WRT to select Marco Wittmann to replace Robin Frijns for the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, according to Wittmann himself as well as WRT boss Vincent Vosse.

Wittmann, who competes full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, was selected to join the lineup for the No. 20 BMW M Hybrid V8 at the Interlagos circuit, teaming up with full season drivers Sheldon van der Linde and Rene Rast.

It marks a one-off FIA World Endurance Championship return for Wittmann, who was part of WRT’s Hypercar stable last year before he was moved across to BMW’s GTP program in the WeatherTech Championship.

According to WRT team principal Vosse, that familiarity was one of the key reasons why Wittmann was picked to replace Frijns, who is instead racing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Berlin this weekend.

Vosse also indicated that the decision was made to not repeat the situation from May’s 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, where Rast and Frijns drove as a duo, due to a higher risk of track limit penalties.

Under the WEC’s regulations, track limit infractions are counted per each individual driver and not registered against the car as a whole, like in series under the SRO Motorsports Group umbrella.

“There was some pro and cons,” Vosse told Sportscar365 “The pro is that we know Marco super well. He’s part of the team. He drove for us last year, here. He’s still driving the car in the IMSA championship.

“You can quickly get hit by the track limits situation, which in Spa was a topic. Somehow we were getting closer and closer.

“Being with two drivers, I think, a very good idea, because you give more track time and they’re probably more focused.

“Sheldon and Rene know each other super well. But you have the risk of having a driver getting sick. That’s one thing.

“The second thing is track limits.”

Wittmann himself echoed the sentiment that his experience of both the championship and the team were motivating factors in getting the nod over fellow BMW factory racer Philipp Eng, who also competes in the WeatherTech Championship and was available to replace Frijns.

“I think the main reason is because I raced here last year obviously, so I know the track,” Wittmann told Sportscar365. “I worked with the team last year and I think that’s the main reason why they chose me to come here first.

“I think also in Le Mans if something would have happened, I would been the first one to jump in.”

Wittmann quipped he had to “read the regs again” when asked how he approached the move back into WEC competition, having last competed in the series at last year’s Bahrain finale.

“The car itself is pretty much the same and obviously once you come to a track you adapt with the balance [and] with the driving,” he said.

“It’s mainly the regulations because they are quite different between WEC and IMSA. Also the racing is a little bit different, but mainly the rules.

“You obviously have to read them, you need to get familiar again with that to not do any mistakes. Because in IMSA we don’t have the Full Course Yellow, the virtual safety car, all those procedures.

“I think the main topic is to read the rules. Obviously the team helps there a lot and supports a lot, sending documents and then also for the drivers to get used to it.

“The same applies for Sheldon and Dries [Vanthoor], they jump [back and forth] all the time this year so they always need those inputs.

“I think both teams do very well to keep us updated with the specific rules, either IMSA or WEC.”

John Dagys contributed to this report