Ferrari sets the pace in first Imola WEC practice
The first practice session for the FIA World Endurance Championship at Imola featured Ferrari at the top of the timing screens — but with the privateer No. 83 499P on top, a tenth and a half up on the No. 50 from the factory team.
The best time of the 90-minute run came from Yifei Ye, who toured the Italian circuit in 1m32.347s early in the session. Antonio Fuoco set the best lap in the No. 50.
The session also provided a fast start for Peugeot’s new 9X8, with the No. 93 finishing up third and 0.6s off following an effort from Mikkel Jensen, making it one of only three cars to set sub-1m32s times.
Lamborghini Iron Lynx’s performance with the SC63 was also encouraging. Mirko Bortolotti set a 1m32.015 sto go fourth ahead of the No. 51 Ferrari 499P, which snuck into the top five with a 1m32.065s from Antonio Giovanazzi.
Qatar-winning brand Porsche features in the top half of the classification too, with Proton’s 963 setting the best time of the quartet, a 1m32.253s to go sixth and fractionally faster than the two Penske Porsches that ended up seventh and eighth.
Toyota’s GR010 HYBRIDs rounded out the top 10, while further down the order Isotta Fraschini showed signs of progress by finishing 14th fastest. The Tipo6-C was quicker than the two Alpines, the Cadillac, a WRT BMW and the No. 38 JOTA Porsche that completed just four laps.
In LMGT3 it was TF Sport that set the early benchmark times, its pair of Corvette Z06 LMGT3.Rs — which tested at the circuit in the build-up to this event – finishing up first and second. Daniel Juncadella was fastest in the No. 82 with his 1m42.112s, while Charlie Eastwood steered the No. 81 to a 1m42.719s.
Best of the rest was the No. 54 Vista AF Corse Ferrari, which ended up third in the order, under a tenth up on the No. 46 Team WRT BMW that took fourth and marginally quicker than the No. 55 sister Ferrari that managed fifth.
Further down the list, Manthey Pure Rxcing’s Porsche, which won the Qatar race, would slot in 13th. The car, which is carrying success ballast as a result of its victory, returned to its garage with a 1m43.871s from Joel Sturm its best lap.
Free Practice 2 is scheduled to get underway this afternoon at 5:15 local time.
