Antonio Giovinazzi believes he lost approximately two tenths of a second during Hyperpole for the 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Monza, despite securing fourth place in the #51 Ferrari 499P. The Italian driver was dissatisfied with his car’s balance in the second sector but remains optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects, with the team aiming to score enough points to finish second in the Manufacturers’ Championship.
Ferrari enjoyed a memorable qualifying session in front of thousands of supporters at its home circuit. After a less-than-convincing showing in free practice, the Maranello manufacturer took advantage of the mixed conditions on a drying track to secure pole position with the #50 Ferrari 499P and fourth place with the #51 entry. The AF Corse-operated #83 Ferrari will start eighth.
Antonio Giovinazzi explains Ferrari’s lost two tenths in Monza Hyperpole
Speaking to the media after qualifying, including Formula1.it, Antonio Giovinazzi welcomed the pole position secured by the sister Ferrari while acknowledging that his own lap could have been faster.
“Having the #50 on pole in Italy is wonderful news for us and for the fans. I left two tenths out there; I wasn’t happy with the balance in the second sector and lost time. Fourth position is still excellent, and the objective is to score points so we can finish second in the Constructors’ Championship,” Antonio Giovinazzi explained.
The result completed a strong afternoon for Ferrari, with Antonio Fuoco securing pole position for the #50 Ferrari 499P and Antonio Giovinazzi placing the sister car on the second row.
Although the #51 driver was unable to maximise his performance through the middle sector, fourth place provides an encouraging starting position as Ferrari attempts to conclude its home race with a strong championship result.
Ferrari faces unpredictable 6 Hours of Monza with limited dry-track data
Looking ahead to Sunday’s six-hour race, Antonio Giovinazzi expects an interesting contest and believes unexpected developments remain possible. The changing weather conditions have left teams without representative data from completely dry running, making race balance and strategy particularly difficult to predict.
“Nobody has any data in the dry. We’re all in the same boat, so tomorrow will be fun. We’ll have to understand what our balance will be like and find a clever strategy to beat our rivals,” Antonio Giovinazzi added.
The uncertainty reflects the challenges Ferrari encountered during Friday’s rain-affected practice sessions at Monza, when changing track conditions made it difficult to establish a reliable competitive order.
For Ferrari, qualifying has provided an encouraging foundation, but the six-hour race will present a different challenge. With limited dry-weather information available, the team must establish an effective balance and make the right strategic decisions if it is to convert its strong qualifying performance into valuable championship points.
Leave a Reply