Further reactions to the 2026 FIA WEC season finale at Monza

The 2026 season of the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) has come to an end: at the race in Monza , Earl Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais and Jack Aitken celebrated Cadillac’s first victory of the season. Ferrari took third place on home soil, and Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa and Sébastien Buemi (Toyota) have also been confirmed as the Drivers’ World Champions. Here are some further comments from the drivers on the race.

Earl Bamber – winner in the Cadillac V-Series.R

“A brilliant performance from everyone today. We’ve worked hard all year and made progress step by step. Everyone at Cadillac has also worked incredibly hard. We had a strong car at Le Mans – and I think we’ve been able to build on that momentum ever since. Today has shown that we have the necessary composure and the right team. We have everything it takes to be a serious contender in next year’s World Championship.”

Alessandro Pier Guidi – third place in the Ferrari 499P

“We started the season in Italy with a podium finish and ended it there with one too. It wasn’t an easy season, and this race was anything but straightforward either. We tried to give it our all. I think the car had a thoroughly competitive pace here, but unfortunately we weren’t quite as strong in the direct battles on the track. We struggled to overtake other cars and ended up repeatedly getting stuck behind another car – we were effectively stuck in traffic. That’s basically how our race can be summed up. Nevertheless, we managed to secure a podium finish in front of our fans.”

Loïc Duval – fourth place in the Peugeot 9X8

“We were right in the thick of the action this weekend and were able to compete with the best. We’re naturally very pleased about that. At times, we even had reason to hope for a bit more. It was a very close race, but the final result reflects the level of performance we showed this weekend. We’d expected this circuit to suit us a bit better, especially as it had been resurfaced. It’s great to end the season this way. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m convinced that this strong result will provide positive momentum for the team as we prepare for 2027.”

Kevin Magnussen – sixth place in the BMW M Hybrid V8

“It was a wild race with ups and downs for us. Unfortunately, I received a drive-through penalty for overtaking under yellow flags, but my team-mates made up for it brilliantly. We came here to secure second place in the manufacturers’ championship and third place in the drivers’ championship. We’ve achieved both. So we can be very satisfied with the season.”

Sébastien Buemi – World Champion in the Toyota TR010 Hybrid

“It was tough not to win Le Mans in car No. 8, but winning the Drivers’ World Championship makes up for it. Today we knew we simply had to stay ahead of car No. 7, as we had a comfortable lead in the overall standings. But you never know what might happen. We’ve done it, and I’m really enjoying being a five-time world champion. It’s a pleasure to share the car with my two team-mates and to be part of this team.”