Al Harthy's Team WRT battles to points finish in Sao Paulo

Times of Oman

6 days ago

Muscat: Ahmad Al Harthy and Team WRT returned to the FIA World Endurance Championship points at Interlagos circuit in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo on Sunday, after delivering a determined and tactically sharp performance in the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo – round five of the 2025 season.
Driving alongside team-mates Valentino Rossi and Kelvin van der Linde, Al Harthy's Team WRT overcame a tough start to the Brazilian weekend to finish 10th in the LMGT3 class, securing a valuable championship point and finishing as the top BMW entry in the race.
The Omani, proudly backed by OQ Group, Sohar International, Omantel, Oman LNG, BMW Oman, Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Experience Oman, said it was a result earned through sheer execution, teamwork, and perseverance.
'I think it was a very strong race for us,' said Al Harthy. 'We managed to make up so many positions throughout the six hours and to finish with a championship point makes all the effort worth it. We know we're not the most competitive car at the moment but hopefully things can change quickly for Austin.'
From the outset, the iconic 4.3km Interlagos circuit posed a challenge. Qualifying didn't go to plan, with Al Harthy narrowly missing out on a top-10 Hyperpole spot by just two-tenths of a second – placing the No.46 BMW M4 LMGT3 14th on the grid.
Taking the start of the race, Al Harthy was squeezed down to 17th in the opening laps. But showing typical composure and racecraft, the Muscat-born driver clawed back to 13th by the end of the first hour after a smooth stint and early pit stop.
From there, South African ace van der Linde and nine-time MotoGP World Champion Rossi played vital roles in pushing the team forward, with clean overtakes and a well-executed multi-stop strategy. The car rose as high as third overall in LMGT3, before slotting into the top six during mid-race shuffles.
In his second stint, Al Harthy again showed consistency and pace, climbing into the top eight. As strategies unfolded, the Omani handed the car over to Rossi, who maintained track position before van der Linde took the final stint and brought the car home in 10th.
'We executed a perfect race, one of the best in terms of team performance,' Al Harthy added. 'That's something we're very proud of – all three drivers were consistent, and the team's pit strategy was flawless. It shows that when everything clicks, we can fight among the best.'
After a tough outing at Le Mans and a hard-fought return to the points in Brazil, Al Harthy and Team WRT now look ahead with optimism to round six of the championship – the Lone Star Le Mans at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on 6th–7th September.
Following the race, Al Harthy remains 14th in the LMGT3 Drivers' Championship with 22 points. 'It's always an honour to represent Oman on this stage,' he said. 'We've had ups and downs, but the team is strong, and I believe we can continue building from here.'
Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paolo LMGT3 race result:
1 Jose Maria Lopez / Clemens Schmid / Petru Umbrarescu(Akkodis ASP Team / Lexus RC F), 2 Charlie Eastwood / Tom Van Rompuy / Rui Andrade (TF Sport / Corvette Z06), 3 Eduardo Barrichello / Valentin Hasse Clot / Anthony McIntosh (Racing Spirit of Leman / Aston Martin Vantage AMR), 10 Ahmad Al Harthy / Valentino Rossi / Kelvin van der Linde (Team WRT / BMW M4).
2025 FIA WEC LMGT3 Driver standings (after round five): 1 Riccardo Pera / Richard Lietz / Ryan Hardwick, 89pts, 2 Alessio Rovera / Francois Heriau / Simon Mann, 76pts, 3 Ben Keating / Daniel Juncadella / Jonny Edgar, 66pts, 14 Ahmad Al Harthy / Valentino Rossi / Kelvin van der Linde, 22pts.