Oman's Al Harthy eyes podium finish in Brazil

Muscat Daily

09-07-2025

Muscat – South America is the destination for Ahmad al Harthy later this week when the FIA World Endurance Championship resumes for round five of the season, the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, which will take place on Sunday.
Oman's Al Harthy, who has been in tremendous form throughout the 2025 campaign along with Team WRT teammates Valentino Rossi and Kelvin van der Linde, is very much hoping for a boost to the squad's fortunes in Brazil off the back off a frustrating non-finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Well on course to challenge for the LMGT3 class win, a podium at least, during the championship's biggest race of the year just three weeks ago, a luckless electrical issue enforced retirement of the rapid No.46 BMW M4 LMGT3 part way through the twice-round-the-clock French encounter.
'I can't wait to return to Brazil this week for my second attempt at the Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo, we had a great weekend last year and the top five result from 12th on the grid was a satisfying result on my first ever visit to the track,' said Al Harthy
'We're all determined, every single member of the team, to be in a position to challenge for the podium on Sunday and that will be our focus with our preparation.
'Everyone was very disappointed that we had to retire the car at Le Mans, but the strength of the performance we showed before then – the pace, the strategy and our individual performances as well – gave us a lot to take away and be very positive about. We're aiming to put all we learned and that experience into practice and hit back as strongly as we can in Sao Paolo.'
Al Harthy, supported by prestigious partners OQ Group, Sohar International, Omantel, Oman LNG, BMW Oman, Oman Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and Experience Oman, is hungrier than ever to be back on the FIA WEC podium and will be working as hard as possible to achieve that aim.
During last year's visit to Interlagos, the Omani's maiden trip to the Brazilian venue, he and then teammates Rossi and Maxime Martin achieved a strong top five result from 12th on the grid, almost snatching fourth – less than a second shy at the chequered flag after six intense hours of action.
As has been a hallmark of Al Harthy's endurance racing career to-date, his opening stint in last year's Rolex 6 Hours of Sao Paulo was immensely impressive. Gaining no fewer than six places during the first hour of action, this set the scene for the pleasing result on his Interlagos debut. His second stint was equally strong with fantastic speed, racecraft and overtaking skills on show for all to witness.
This time around, Oman's number one racing driver is hoping for more still as the team strives to begin the second half of the FIA World Endurance Championship season on the front foot, and climb back up the LMGT3 points table.
Competition, as always in FIA WEC, will be fierce in Brazilwith 18 cars entered in LMGT3 alone and a combined grid of 36 entries expected including those from the Hypercar class. Going into the event Al Harthy, Rossi and van der Linde are 12th in the LMGT3 driver standings with a season-best finish of second place from round two at Imola in Italy.