Ferrari dominated the Qatar 1812km race with a sensational podium sweep, achieving its first overall win outside Le Mans. The race showcased strong performances and competitive dynamics, with significant challenges faced by competitors like Porsche and Alpine. Looking forward, the FIA World Endurance Championship heads to Imola next for further racing action.
The No. 50 Ferrari 499P secured victory in Friday’s Qatar 1812km, marking the Italian manufacturer’s fourth overall win in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the first for a factory car in a race other than the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All three drivers—Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, and Miguel Molina—celebrated their second win together, following their previous triumph at La Sarthe last year.
Finishing closely behind, the No. 83 AF Corse car took second place, while the No. 51 works entry came in third, achieving Ferrari’s first-ever overall podium sweep and the second in the Hypercar era, following Porsche’s success at last year’s Qatar race. Dominating the race, Ferrari led 309 of the 318 laps, with Cadillac and Toyota leading only a combined nine laps.
This victory marked Ferrari’s first overall sweep in a major sports car endurance race since 1972. At that time, Ferrari 312 PBs achieved the top four positions at the 1000km of Osterreichring in Austria, led by Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman.
James Calado acknowledged the challenges faced by the No. 51 Ferrari, which dropped toward the bottom of the top ten due to penalties. He noted, “It was tricky with ‘Giovi’ [Giovinazzi] in the car; I think he couldn’t hear anything on the radio… but sometimes these things happen.” Calado expressed confidence in returning strong at Imola, emphasizing the pace shown today.
With a pole position achieved by the No. 51 car, Ferrari amassed a perfect 66 points in the manufacturers’ standings, establishing a commanding early lead over BMW, which placed fourth and seventh, while Toyota followed closely behind. This marks the first occasion that Ferrari has topped the Hypercar manufacturers’ standings since commencing the 499P project.
Former Formula 1 driver Kevin Magnussen described his fourth-place finish with BMW during his WEC debut as “satisfactory,” noting the superiority of the three Ferraris ahead. He stated, “The car has been great, we made a big step from last year,” expressing positive sentiments regarding his team’s progress.
Porsche LMDh director Urs Kuratle remarked that Ferrari was “definitely in a different league,” as both Porsche entries finished 10th and 11th, marking the brand’s weakest performance in the Hypercar era. He concluded, “We had no chance. Simple as that. The speed was just not there.”
Alpine faced a challenging debut, becoming one of only two manufacturers, alongside Aston Martin, to score no points. Mick Schumacher stated that their No. 36 car struggled with performance in colder conditions, emphasizing the need for deeper analysis to address the underlying issues.
Aston Martin’s team acknowledged progress, with Adam Carter expressing encouragement regarding their cars’ performance during their race debut. He explained, “We knew this was going to be a ‘learning weekend’ for Valkyrie,” confirming their intent to build upon the encouraging pace shown during the race.
TF Sport’s drivers—Daniel Juncadella, Jonny Edgar, and Ben Keating—celebrated Corvette’s first win in the LMGT3 category, joining a diverse list of manufacturers that have won since its inception. Juncadella and Edgar achieved their inaugural WEC victories, while Keating marked his eighth win, signifying a significant achievement for the team.
Although McLaren missed out on a win, it achieved its best-ever LMGT3 result with a second-place finish. Lexus also made a notable advancement, securing fourth place after leading 97 laps before receiving a penalty that hindered their chances for victory.
Augusto Farfus characterized Team WRT’s third-place finish with the No. 31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO as “unexpected,” crediting their strategy and effective management during the race. He remarked, “I would have never said before the race P3 was possible, but here we are!”
Racing Spirit of Leman recorded two points for ninth in their first outing, reflecting upon the overall performance of their team under the guidance of Eduardo Barrichello. He expressed satisfaction with their efforts despite not being fully pleased with the result.
Iron Lynx encountered significant challenges, resulting in both cars experiencing issues. The No. 61 machine was forced to retire due to brake problems, while the sister vehicle lost valuable time during gearbox changes, finishing without classifying after completing 194 laps.
Sean Gelael earned the inaugural Goodyear Wingfoot Award, decided by fan voting instead of average stint pace, outrunning competitors such as Ben Barnicoat and Arnold Robin during the event.
The Qatar 1812km race incompletely concluded, 17 laps short of full distance due to four safety car periods before the time limit elapsed. Last year’s race achieved full distance shortly before the ten-hour mark. The next segment of the FIA World Endurance Championship will take place at the 6 Hours of Imola on April 18-20.
The Qatar 1812km race witnessed Ferrari’s historical achievement with a podium sweep and established it at the forefront of the Hypercar manufacturers’ standings. The event highlighted competitive performances from various manufacturers, including significant challenges faced by Porsche and Alpine. The race dynamics also underscored the strategic importance of teamwork and communication in endurance racing. Looking ahead, the next race at Imola promises further excitement and competition within the championship.
Original Source: sportscar365.com
