Ferrari seizes Hyperpole at the 6h of Imola, the second event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, whose Qualifying took place on the Santerno circuit under a sometimes overcast sky threatening rain, without causing any disruptions during the session.
Porsche celebrates in the LMGT3 class, but let’s go in order to discover how these timed sessions unfolded in front of the crowd that began filling the stands at various points on the track.
HYPERCAR: 499P Trifecta and Double Record
Antonio Fuoco was literally unstoppable throughout Qualifying, deservedly finishing ahead of everyone with a time of 1’29″466 at the wheel of the official #50 499P. The Italian driver led the way by almost half a second over Robert Shwartzman‘s Ferrari #83, Hyperpole among private Hypercars, and the #51 of his teammate Alessandro Pier Guidi.
Despite their efforts, Porsches had to settle for fourth and fifth fastest with Kévin Estre (#6) and Matt Campbell (#5), the latter also running wide at ‘Tamburello’ halfway through the second session.
Kamui Kobayashi will start sixth and best of the Toyotas, partly because Brendon Hartley spun the #8 GR010 at ‘Tosa’ in the final minutes, ending up eighth behind René Rast’s BMW #20.
On the fifth row, we find the private Porsches driven by Callum Ilott (#12 Jota) and Julien Andlauer (#99). Q1, initially dominated by Ferraris with Antonio Fuoco setting a 1’30″169, was interrupted with 1’57” left due to Dries Vanthoor spinning the BMW #15 at ‘Piratella’, leading to his elimination as he was 13th.
Despite the available time, there were no improvements after the restart, and Phil Hanson was the first to be cut off from the Hyperpole battle, ending up 11th with the Jota #38 Porsche, narrowly beaten by Estre. Also out were Alex Lynn with the Cadillac in 12th, as well as the two Peugeot 9X8s #94 and #93 in the hands of Stoffel Vandoorne and Jean-Eric Vergne behind Vanthoor, and Mirko Bortolotti’s Lamborghini, starting 16th.
Completing the list are the Alpines #36 and #35 of Nicolas Lapierre and Paul-Loup Chatin with significant gaps, and Jean-Karl Vernay’s Isotta Fraschini struggling with a 10.6-second deficit from the top.
LMGT3: First Pole for Porsche
Following their victory in Qatar, Porsche’s good form continues at Imola with the Pole Position secured in 1’42″365 by Alex Malykhin with the #92 Pure Rxcing 911.
The Russian put significant gaps between himself and all rivals in the Hyperpole session for the top 10 from the first round, with Ian James placing second with a +0.693 margin in the Heart Of Racing’s Aston Martin #27.
The second row is entirely occupied by WRT BMWs driven by Ahmad Al Harthy (#46) and Darren Leung (#31), ahead of the formidable Sarah Bovy in the Iron Dames Lamborghini #85.
Giorgio Roda (#88 Proton Competition) takes sixth, being the best of the Ford Mustangs, beating Yasser Shahin’s Porsche #91 (Manthey EMA) and the AF Corse Ferrari 296s driven by François Heriau (returning to Imola after flying to France to witness the birth of his second child, Charles) and Thomas Flohr.
James Cottingham’s McLaren #59 (United Autosports) completes the list of the top five rows.
In Q1, where Malykhin set the fastest time in 1’42″734, the first to be eliminated was Tom Van Rompuy with TF Sport’s Corvette #81, missing out by a couple of tenths. Disappointment in the British team, as their second Z06 also lagged behind, with Hiroshi Koizumi starting 13th in the #82, behind Clément Mateu’s D’Station Racing Aston Martin #777.
Ryan Hardwick is 14th with Proton Competition’s Mustang #77, followed by Josh Caygill’s McLaren (#95 United Autosports) and the Lexus #78 and #87 entrusted to Arnold Robin and Takeshi Kimura by the Akkodis-ASP Team.
Bringing up the rear is Claudio Schiavoni in the Iron Lynx Lamborghini #60, 3.5 seconds off the pace.
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