WEC | BMW on the attack with Farfus: “More entertainment with two classes”

Augusto Farfus returns to racing in the FIA ​​World Endurance Championship after making some sporadic appearances over the years.

The official BMW driver was chosen as the Platinum starter at the wheel of the M4 GT3 #31 of Team WRT together with rookie Darren Leung and Sean Gelael to make an assault on the LMGT3 Class.

The Brazilian is one of the most versatile drivers on the motorsport scene, always reliable in endurance races and ready to wear different roles between GTs and prototypes.

“In my career I have only taken part in a few WEC races and it has always been a championship that I would have liked to tackle in its entirety, but the calendars never matched, so my goal was to be able to be there this year”, says a delighted Farfus in meeting with journalists attended by Motorsport.com.

“It's important because we are entering an era with many important brands and names of the highest value in endurance. Speaking of GT3, I have been involved in the development of BMW from the beginning and therefore I know it very well also thanks to many races carried out” .

“I'm happy because I will also be able to continue racing with the LMDh in IMSA, but the WEC challenge in LMGT3 promises to be very intense, with very strong driver lineups, especially due to the presence of many high-level professional drivers. I can't wait to fight them and try to beat them.”

“There are many new features, starting from the category, arriving at the tires and even my teammates because I have never shared the car with them at the moment. I already knew them, but we have not yet managed to carry out a real test” .

#31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3: Augusto Farfus, Charles Weerts, Maxime Martin

Photo by: SRO

The South American has accumulated a lot of experience in championships all over the world and has a clear understanding of how the divisions into classes work.

The fact that this year there are only two categories in the World Championship – Hypercar and LMGT3 – will guarantee more fluid, beautiful and competitive races, but above all understandable even for those who have little knowledge of this type of competition.

“If we look at IMSA, apart from the Endurance Cup which features the LMP2, most of the races take place in two categories and there is a lot of attention paid to the battles between the GT3s. Clearly the Hypercars are more sophisticated and faster , but among the GTs we always have very tough and close races, with contacts and overtaking.”

“In IMSA there is more attention to the GTD categories than to the prototype categories precisely for these reasons. I think people will understand this with some time, in the past in the WEC it was difficult to show all three categories on TV , while now GTs will be able to enjoy the same coverage that Hypercars have.”

“And the spectacle could increase incredibly if the same brand managed to win both categories at the same time, so I have no doubt that we will have fun and that the fans will also appreciate the LMGT3 Class.”

#31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3: Augusto Farfus

Photo by: SRO

Finally, the 40-year-old native of Curitiba did not appear too worried about the presence of so many Bronze drivers at their first outing in the World Championship, given that the crews will also have already capable drivers and veterans of the series.

“On paper we all know that the performances of the Bronzes usually have a notable impact on the final result, but I also believe that most races are decided when the PROs are behind the wheel. The Bronzes will do Qualifying and start, their objective will be do well and avoid stupid mistakes with unnecessary risks.”

“Subsequently we will need to give the Silvers a chance to emerge, let's not forget that these guys have to show their value and speed, while the final will often fall to us PROs. If there are Safety Cars the weight of the Bronzes will clearly decrease, then I know very well that it would be It's nice to have lineups made up entirely of PROs, but in many series it's the Bronzes who keep the show alive.”

“Personally I am honored to be part of a series with these characteristics, now it is difficult to say how it will go, but at the end of the year we will probably also be able to say thanks to the Bronze and Silver for having given a good contribution to the show. For now I am basing myself on that that I saw in America and there the Bronze never had a huge influence on the final result”.

“Having mixed lineups allows some to grow and others to emerge. I think the teams and manufacturers have chosen the best Bronze, Silver and PRO available. The entire grid will be very close and we could have several surprises throughout the season” .

“There will be different drivers who can be protagonists during the various races and this will be of benefit both on a sporting level and in terms of appreciation for the public. The best will win and when we are behind the wheel we will have to fight regardless of who is in front of us at that moment” .

“I'm very curious and excited to see how it will go, but I'm sure there will be plenty of entertainment.”