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BMW Survives Chaotic Final Hour of 6 Hours of Spa for Maiden WEC Hypercar Victory
TL;DR
BMW secured its first WEC Hypercar victory at the 6 Hours of Spa, overcoming challenges with strategic fuel management. The No. 20 BMW M Team WRT triumphed over its sister car and a Ferrari team.
Key points
- BMW achieved its first WEC Hypercar victory at Spa.
- The No. 20 BMW M Team WRT employed superior fuel mileage.
- Drivers Robin Frijns, Rene Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde led the victory.
- An early strategy switch helped BMW gain an advantage.
- BMW's mileage was 26 laps compared to the field average of 24-25.
WECBMW M Team WRT6 Hours of SpaFerrari Af Corse
BMW's Maiden Hypercar Victory Comes at SpaJames Moy Photography - Getty Images
The No. 20 BMW M Team WRT didn’t make it to Hyperpole for the 6 Hours of Spa, being knocked out by its sister car the No. 15, but with the help of superior fuel milage and a gutsy call to switch strategies early Robin Frijns Rene Rast and Sheldon van der Linde found themselves the victors in the 6 Hours of Spa over their sister car and the No. 50 Ferrari Af Corse.
With the No. 20 car stuck in traffic early, they went for the undercut to get out in front of the No. 8 Toyota on the same strategy; they under-fueled.
From there, the driver trio was able to extend their mileage on every run, going 26 laps to the field average of 24-25.
The No. 15 was able to join its sister car on the podium, as it made it to second at the end of each traditional strategy’s cycle. When a slew of safety cars came out in the final hour, the Hypercar field was neutralized on even energy.
The final hour was filled with tight battles for podium positions, heavy multi-class traffic, and multiple race-ending crashes, first for the No. 51 Ferrari AF Course and the No. 009 Aston Martin Valkerie.
The No. 51 Ferrari was hit by the No. 32 BMW
BIG impact between #51 Ferrari and #32 BMW 😰
Alessandro Pier Guidi was completely helpless in this situation... both cars go back to the pits.#WEC#6HSpa#Ferraripic.twitter.com/lfAVyTjrrG
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) May 9, 2026
The race resumes with 34 minutes remaining, but the restart is short-lived as the No. 009 Aston Martin piloted by Alex Ribera loses control and flies through the grass into the wall while running sixth. The car stayed on the ground, but the debris did not stay on the grass.
Q&A
How did BMW win its first WEC Hypercar race at Spa?
BMW won by employing superior fuel mileage and an early strategy switch, allowing them to outlast competitors.
Who were the drivers of the winning BMW M Team WRT car?
The winning drivers were Robin Frijns, Rene Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde.
What strategy did BMW use to gain an advantage during the race?
BMW used an undercut strategy to get ahead of competitors, managing to extend their mileage to 26 laps per run.
Which teams did BMW compete against in the 6 Hours of Spa?
BMW competed against its sister car, the No. 15 BMW, and the No. 50 Ferrari Af Corse.