Kubica Guides Ferrari to Imola Practice 1-2-3 Finish
Robert Kubica led the opening practice session of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship at Imola, showcasing the strength of Ferrari. Driving the No. 83 Ferrari 499P for AF Corse, Kubica clocked a fastest lap of 1:31.739. He edged out Antonio Fuoco in the No. 50 work Ferrari by just 0.023 seconds.
Antonio Giovinazzi followed in third place with a time of 1:31.982 in the defending champion No. 51 Ferrari. This performance mirrored Ferrari’s previous dominance during the Prologue test earlier in the week.
Session Highlights
- Best Lap: Robert Kubica (1:31.739) – Ferrari 499P
- Second Place: Antonio Fuoco (1:31.762) – Ferrari
- Third Place: Antonio Giovinazzi (1:31.982) – Ferrari
The top three spots were firmly occupied by Ferrari, but the No. 12 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Will Stevens, was the best of the rest with a time of 1:32.183, placing fourth. The Peugeot 9X8s secured the fifth and sixth positions, led by Malthe Jakobsen in the No. 94 car at 1:32.351.
Other Key Performances
- Seventh: Sebastien Buemi (1:32.573) – Toyota TR010 Hybrid
- Eighth: Charles Milesi – Alpine A424
- Ninth: BMW M Hybrid V8 No. 15
- Tenth: BMW M Hybrid V8 No. 20
Genesis Magma Racing finished the session with its GMR-001 cars in 15th and 17th places. The leading time for the team was 1:33.227, just under 1.5 seconds off the best time.
LMGT3 Class Overview
In the LMGT3 category, Charlie Eastwood emerged on top in the No. 34 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a best lap of 1:42.678. He was closely followed by Finn Gehrsitz in the No. 58 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, who was only 0.170 seconds slower.
- First: Charlie Eastwood – No. 34 Corvette
- Second: Finn Gehrsitz – No. 58 McLaren
- Third: Mattia Drudi – No. 27 Aston Martin
The session faced interruptions, including a full-course yellow due to an incident involving Antares Au in the No. 10 Garage 59 McLaren, which went off track at Tamburello.
Next Practice Session Details
The next session for the 6 Hours of Imola is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. local time (11:15 a.m. EST), promising more competitive action as teams continue to refine their setups ahead of the race.
