The 2024 Grid Assembled
The traditional full grid shot was captured on Wednesday evening at Imola, after the photo call was postponed from Qatar as a result of several teams still needing to work on their cars following the freight delays.
Up front are the championship-winning Toyota GR010 and the #46 BMW M4 GT3 of Valentino Rossi.
All 19 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3s make for a pretty picture for the season ahead, with the additional advantage here being that the new Peugeot 9X8s are available.
Ferdi On The Alpine
Ferdinand Habsburg may not be present here at Imola as he recovered from injuries suffered in testing with the Alpine A424 but he is still featuring on the #35 car.
The team have put his name on the side of his A424 as a get well soon message.
Faces In The Paddock
SRO founder Stephane Ratel is again a guest in the WEC paddock this weekend with a range of other familiar and famous faces.
‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen is here on Eurosport duties and his ex team-mate Emanuele Pirro is here too, he’ll wave the green flag to set the cars off on their formation laps.
Ducati MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli is on site all weekend to be joined on Sunday by fellow Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi.
In the support races there are more familiar names:
Ex-SMP Racing LMP1 racer Egor Orudzhev is competing in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo as are ex-Panis Barthez Racing driver Simon Gachet, long-time LP and GT racer Karim Ojjeh and SRT Garage 56 Le Mans racer Nigel Bailly.
Ex-Gillet Vertigo regular Renaud Kuppens is racing in Super Trofeo too, as is ex-Michelin Le Mans Cup racer Charlie Martin, who is also a full-season runner.
In the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany field familiar names include Larry Ten Voorde, Marvin Klien and third generation racer Horst Felix Felbermayr. And there’s an Aussie Band of Brothers in the paddock, Sam Shahin races in the Porsche one-make Series with brother Yasser in the FIA WEC with United Autosports in the McLaren.
One Make vs LMGT3
There’s an ideal opportunity to compare three very different beasts here at Imola: the new-for-2024 LMGT3s, the type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and the Lamborghini Huracán LP 620-2 Super Trofeo EVO2 as the Raging Bull’s current one-make offering is snappily monikered.
After Free Practice 2 for the FIA WEC the fastest lap times compared as follows:
- LMGT3 – 1:41.986 (Corvette)
- Porsche Cup – 1:42.655
- Lamborghini Super Trofeo – 1:41.302
And there was a similar story in top speeds registered:
- LMGT3 – 272 km/h (Corvette)
- Porsche Cup – 279.1 km/h
- Lamborghini Super Trofeo – 291.1 km/h.
Car specs:
- LMGT3 – c.535 bhp, 1306-1347 kg
- Porsche – 503 bhp, c.1260kg
- Lamborghini – 620 bhp, 1270 kg
LMGT3s (and crucially their tyres) are, of course, designed to deliver their performance over a far longer period than the Lamborghinis in particular, with the Porsche Cup car available with an optional endurance kit.
Ferris Wheel
Ferris Wheels have been part of the backdrop of many major events including, of course, Le Mans, Daytona and Suzuka.
At the request of the FIA WEC there’s a big wheel at Imola this weekend too with c.3000 free tickets being distributed to the public and a dedicated ‘golden’ gondola for guests at the Le Mans Spirit Club.
Gabi Aubry
Gabi Aubry was a pleasant surprise addition at Imola, not though sadly on the entry list, but in the Media Centre where he is assisting with the efforts of L’Equipe.
Aubry is still active looking for a racing home in 2024 and beyond after his deal to race in the ELMS and at Le Mans with Vector Sport fell through at a very late stage.
Gabi will though be at Le Mans, at the very least as part of the broadcast team for the French language host broadcaster.
Duqueine ELMS LMP2 driver James Allen was also spotted by DSC on one of its paddock tours.
Hot Fuzz
The DSC team were delighted to be dealt a representative from a classic Italian marque in the rental car lottery this weekend.
With multiple World Rally victories and Championships to their name, Lancia’s forefathers would be spinning in their graves at the sporting qualities of our beast, spinning faster indeed than the oily bits on ‘our’ Lancia Epsilon. (Think Supermini without the super – or mini)
It’s at least unlikely to warrant the enforcement attentions of one occupant of the extensive fanzine here, the Italian Police are displaying the pride of its fleet, a Lamborghini Huracan!
