Sébastien Buemi expected to miss the 6 Hours of São Paulo to focus on Formula E

The Swiss driver is preparing to make a surprising choice: he will miss his first WEC round since 2013 to participate in the Formula E Berlin ePrix, where he is not in a position to challenge for the title.

Published 26/06/2025 à 11:45

Cyprien Juilhard

  Comment on this article! 0

Sébastien Buemi expected to miss the 6 Hours of São Paulo to focus on Formula E

Photo: DPPI

Should we see this as a form of weariness, following a difficult season for Toyota, or just a personal preference? Between the WEC and Formula E, Sébastien Buemi was forced to make a choice: the next round of the World Endurance Championship in Brazil falls on the same weekend as the penultimate Formula E round in Berlin, where two races are scheduled.

The Swiss would have chosen to go to the German capital, our colleagues at Sportscar365 : a surprising decision for a driver who has not missed a WEC round since the 2013 season. However, this scenario of a calendar conflict between his two disciplines has already arisen, but Sébastien Buemi had until now always favored theEndurance.

It must be said that the former pilot Toro Rosso en Formula 1 has always enjoyed great success in the WEC, where he is a four-time world champion and also a four-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But for two years, the domination of Toyota has crumbled, both in Sarthe, where Ferrari signed a third consecutive success in mid-June, in the championship, won last year by Porsche and dominated by the Italians this season.

ALSO READ > Max Verstappen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, "a matter of time" according to Sébastien Buemi

Buemi, Frijns, Vergne and Vandoorne will go to Berlin

This brutal return to earth forced Buemi and his teammates Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa to less convincing results, and perhaps creates a beginning of weariness in the native of Aigle. He would therefore have decided to let his two partners compete alone in the 6 Hours of São Paulo on the Interlagos circuit, while he will participate in the two Formula E rounds with his Envision Racing team.

Although he was champion in 2015-2016, Buemi is not in contention for the title in the electric single-seater category, which makes his choice all the more surprising. Buemi currently sits in 12th place in the championship (52 points) and has only reached the podium once this season: in Monaco, where he won the most prestigious race on the calendar.

He will not be the only driver to favor Formula E over the WEC: the duo of Peugeot , Jean-Éric Vergne and Stoffel Vandoorne, will also travel to Berlin, leaving the French manufacturer to field two crews of two drivers. According to Sportscar365, Theo Pourchaire will also be present on site in his reserve role, ready to deal with any eventuality. At BMW, Robin Frijns will also be missing, preferring Formula E, where he teams up with Buemi at Envision. 

On the other hand, if the Swiss ignores the number 8 of Toyota, Nyck de Vries will be at the wheel of the No. 7, even though he is competing with Mahindra in Formula E. Frenchman Norman Nato also prefers the WEC with Cadillac.

Autohebdo Store / Flash Sales

See the shop

Comment on this article! 0

Read also

Comments

0 Comment (s)

Write a comment