Kevin Magnussen has claimed the first World Endurance Championship victory of his career after helping BMW M Team WRT win a tense six-hour race in São Paulo.
The former Formula 1 driver shared the No. 15 BMW M Hybrid V8 with Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor, with the trio defeating the No. 51 Ferrari by only 2.254 seconds at Interlagos.
The result was the first victory for Magnussen, Marciello and Vanthoor as a crew. It was also BMW’s second win of the 2026 season following the sister car’s success at Spa-Francorchamps.
Magnussen lays the foundations
Magnussen started the fourth round of the championship from fourth place, behind the two Cadillac entries and the No. 36 Alpine.
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According to the FIA WEC’s official race report, the Dane moved past Alpine driver Frédéric Makowiecki during the opening laps before overtaking Earl Bamber’s Cadillac for second at the Ferradura corner on lap 11.
The leading Cadillac then lost time during its first pit stop when the team encountered a wheel-nut problem. That allowed the BMW to assume the effective lead, which it retained through the remaining pit-stop cycles.
“This has been a long time coming,” Magnussen said after the race. “I’m just so happy to finally get the victory.”
He added that the BMW had been a pleasure to drive and praised the team’s strategy, pit stops and the performances of his two teammates.
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Ferrari applies late pressure
BMW’s victory was not secured until the final lap.
Marciello kept the car in contention through the middle portion of the race, including a close battle with António Félix da Costa’s Alpine. Vanthoor then took over for the closing stages despite feeling unwell.
As described by Motorsport Week in its race analysis, BMW delayed Vanthoor’s final stop until after its main rivals had visited the pits. He returned to the track ahead of James Calado’s Ferrari and retained the lead when Alpine was forced to stop again.
Calado reduced the gap during the final stint, but Vanthoor remained composed and crossed the line 2.254 seconds ahead. The leading Cadillac finished third, only 6.687 seconds behind the winner.
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The result was based on more than fuel strategy alone. Magnussen’s opening stint, clean pit work and Vanthoor’s defence were all central to a race in which less than seven seconds separated the first three cars after six hours.
Breakthrough follows Spa podium
Magnussen entered the WEC with BMW in 2025 after leaving Formula 1, although he had previously competed in American endurance racing.
His first full WEC campaign produced a best finish of fourth place, while Magnussen and Marciello ended the season joint 20th in the Hypercar drivers’ standings with 27 points.
The No. 15 crew made a stronger start to 2026. Magnussen, Marciello and Vanthoor finished second behind BMW’s sister car at Spa in May, completing a one-two result for the manufacturer.
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Quoted by BMW after the Spa race, Magnussen called it “the best second place I’ve ever had” and said the result had increased his motivation to continue improving.
Their momentum was interrupted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where technical problems forced the No. 15 BMW to retire. The sister No. 20 car went on to finish second.
Victory in Brazil therefore provided an immediate response and confirmed the crew as genuine contenders during the second half of the championship.
Mixed results for the other Danish drivers
Nicklas Nielsen finished seventh in the No. 50 Ferrari alongside Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina. Their race was affected by late contact with the sister BMW, which received a post-race penalty.
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Marco Sørensen took ninth place in the No. 009 Aston Martin Valkyrie, sharing the car with Álex Riberas.
São Paulo was the fourth of eight rounds on the 2026 WEC calendar. The championship now enters its summer break before returning for the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin from September 4 to 6.
For Magnussen, the win represents the most significant result of his sports-car career since leaving Formula 1. After a promising debut season and a podium at Spa, the Dane has now reached the top step in one of international endurance racing’s leading categories.
