Kevin Magnussen confident ahead of São Paulo WEC round

The Danish BMW factory driver is aiming to build on BMW's encouraging start to the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship when the fourth round of the season takes place at Interlagos in São Paulo this weekend.

After an eventful June featuring the 24 Hours of Le Mans followed by his NASCAR Cup Series debut in San Diego, Kevin Magnussen returns to BMW M Team WRT as the FIA World Endurance Championship leaves Europe for the first time this season. At the iconic Interlagos circuit in Brazil, the Dane reunites with his teammates, Dries Vanthoor and Raffaele Marciello, as the trio targets another strong result in the Hypercar category.

Although this year's Le Mans ended in disappointment after Magnussen, Vanthoor and Marciello were first delayed by a puncture before being forced to retire with technical issues, confidence within the BMW camp remains high. BMW has already claimed one victory and additional podium finishes in two of the opening three rounds of the championship. Magnussen finished second at Spa-Francorchamps, where the sister car took victory, before BMW added another podium at Le Mans. The German manufacturer currently sits second in the FIA World Endurance Championship manufacturers' standings.

"The new Evo package has definitely been a step in the right direction, but at the same time I feel that the entire organisation has taken a significant step forward. We are working better together, our processes have improved, and we are simply getting more out of the overall package. The fact that we've already stood on the podium in two of the first three races and are running second in the championship says a lot about the progress we've made since last year," says Kevin Magnussen.

"There is still a lot for us to learn about the car. At Spa, for example, we were nowhere near competitive enough in qualifying, yet we still came away with a one-two finish. Le Mans was obviously a major disappointment for our car, but if you look at the season as a whole, I feel we are heading in the right direction. Now it's all about continuing that progress and hopefully taking another step forward in Brazil."

Interlagos presents a very different challenge compared to the previous two venues on the WEC calendar. While Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans reward outright top speed, the Formula One circuit in São Paulo is considerably shorter, more technical and characterised by slower corners, potentially reshuffling the competitive order between manufacturers.

"Interlagos will be a completely different challenge. It's a low-speed circuit, whereas both Spa and Le Mans are high-speed tracks, so the demands on both the car and the setup are completely different. That can present challenges, but it can also create new opportunities. One thing is certain: races at Interlagos always produce plenty of action, so I'm really looking forward to the weekend."

Magnussen, Vanthoor and Marciello will face 16 other Hypercar entries when preparations for the 6 Hours of São Paulo get underway. Qualifying takes place on Saturday, 11 July, before the six-hour race starts at 11:30 local time on Sunday, 12 July (16:30 CET). The race will be broadcast live on FIA WEC+, Eurosport and selected international broadcasters.