The World Endurance Championship roared back to life this weekend at Imola, following a dominant Prologue for the Ferrari 499P. The opening practice sessions revealed a well-established hierarchy, as the sun shone on the track, contrasting with the rainy conditions of previous days. With the race set for Sunday, the excitement is palpable.
Ideal Conditions Kick Off the Weekend
The first race day started under clear skies, a boon for teams that had to navigate changing conditions during the Prologue. This time, it was all about maximizing the dry track. Drivers gathered valuable data, particularly on how their cars performed in these optimal conditions. The stakes were clear: establish a solid strategy for the 6 Hours of Imola.
Ferrari Dominates from the Get-Go
The Ferrari No. 50 and No. 83 quickly rose to the front, just as they did in preseason testing. The No. 83 made a strong statement with a lap time of 1:31.739, edging out its rival by mere milliseconds. However, the session was marked by interruptions, including an early Full Course Yellow caused by the McLaren 720S No. 10 going off track, scattering gravel across the asphalt.
Podium Battle Begins
Despite a rocky start and an unfinished first lap, the Ferrari 499P No. 51 managed to climb to third place, just two-tenths off the best time set by the No. 83. This gives Scuderia fans hope. In contrast, the rest of the field struggled to keep pace; the “best of the rest” was the Peugeot 9X8 No. 94 driven by Loïc Duval, but even it lagged significantly, clocking in six-tenths slower than Robert Kubica’s time.
Giants Duel with Newcomers
As Will Stevens took the lead in the Cadillac No. 12 over the French Hypercar, it became clear that any prototype other than the Ferraris would find it tough to break into the top three. This reality was underscored by a second Full Course Yellow, occurring forty minutes before the end of the session due to a damaged marker at Turn 14. Teams then focused their efforts on long runs, leaving little room for surprises in the standings.
Emerging Hierarchy
The three Ferraris dominated this first session, with the No. 83 leading closely followed by the Cadillac No. 12 and the two Peugeots. The season’s start looks promising for these iconic brands. Meanwhile, the Genesis GMR-001 and Alpine A524, making their debuts in the Hypercar category this season, struggled to shine and finished at the back of the pack, despite an encouraging performance from the No. 35 that managed to reach the top 10.
LMGT3: Corvette Takes the Lead
In the LMGT3 category, the Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R No. 34 from Racing Team Turkey By TF clocked the best time, outpacing the McLaren 720S LMGT3 EVO No. 58 from Garage 58 and the Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 No. 27 from Heart Of Racing Team. A promising start that highlights fierce competition in this category as well.
In Summary
- Ferrari showcases overwhelming dominance during practice at Imola.
- Favorable dry conditions follow a rainy Prologue.
- Peugeot and Cadillac attempt to compete but struggle to keep up.
- New teams Genesis and Alpine face the challenges of the Hypercar category.
- Corvette shines in LMGT3 with the fastest time set.
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