Ferrari continues to lead the 2025 FIA WEC Qatar 1812KM as the race enters its second half, but the order has changed entirely after an incident-packed run through hours 2-5, with multiple incidents and dramas in both classes.
The #83 AF Corse 499P has made substantial progress and now leads with Phil Hanson at the wheel. The Briton has just climbed in during a safety car pit stop at the halfway mark for his first race stint as a Ferrari driver. The #50 factory 499P with Miguel Molina now aboard is second, after contact with the #15 BMW that sent the car into a spin cost the 2024 Le Mans winning crew the lead earlier on, allowing the #83 through.
Remarkably, Toyota Gazoo Racing and its pair of GR010 HYBRIDs have risen up the order and now sit third and fourth, both cars (the #7 of Nyck De Vries leading the #8 of Ryo Hirakawa) are now right behind the Ferraris in the safety car queue.
The big headline over the past four hours was a clash between both Cadillacs on lap 75. The two V-Series.Rs were sitting pretty in first and second after the timing of a VSC and Safety Car Period (for an off for Christian Ried in the #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes) cost Ferrari AF Corse track position.
The #51 and #50 AF 499Ps dropped to forst and second to third and fourth as both had just pitted when the race was neutralised, meaning the JOTA Cadillacs could pit under caution and gain time. But the British team’s time at the head of the field didn’t last long, as Jenson Button and Alex Lynn came together at the restart.
Button braked hard into Turn 15 as the Safety Car was peeling in, and a perhaps over-eager Alex Lynn in the #12 behind rear-ended the #38. Both sustained heavy damage and needed to dive straight into the pit lane for new bodywork, handing the lead back to Ferrari.
Disaster for Cadillac!
Teammates Jenson Button and Alex Lynn collide into each other under the safety car!
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— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) February 28, 2025
Lynn felt Button had brake-tested him, but the stewards disagreed, handing the #12 a drive-through for the incident. The #38, after repairs and an additional trip to the pit box to solve throttle issues, is down to 16th. The #12, after serving its penalty, is still on the lead lap and has climbed to sixth after initially falling out the top 10.
The #51 AF Corse Ferrari meanwhile, has now dropped to eighth after Antonio Giovinazzi was handed a drive-through for a VSC procedure infringement. The #15 BMW which started on the front row alongside the #51, has also lost time since the opening hour. It was penalised after an incident at Turn 6 with the #50 Ferrari, and has sunk to 10th after its drive-through.
Alpine’s run through the first five hours was tough too. The #35 has fallen outside the top 10, off the lead lap and to 13th after Charles Milesi made contact with the Iron Dames Porsche. He was trying to thread the needle in traffic between the 911 and the #31 WRT BMW M4 and clipped the 911.
Slow punctures for both the #6 and #5 Penske Porsche 963s have blunted the German factory team’s attack in the first five hours. The #5 is 12th and the #6 is 14th.
LMGT3 has been fast and frantic and is shaping up to be a thriller. The #95 United Autosports McLaren has reclaimed the lead after multiple tense battles. The #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage has had a quiet but productive run thus far, Mattia Drudi is installed and the car is second.
The #33 TF Sport Corvette, despite recieving a drive-through for a tyre pressure infringement, is up to third, ahead of the #59 McLaren that’s fourth. WRT’s #46 BMW continues to impress and is fifth.
The #78 AKKODIS ASP Lexus has had an up and down afternoon, climbing all the way to the lead and battling hard, but has lost track position as it cycled Arnold Robin through for the end of his drive time. Ben Barnicoat is now strapped in and sixth.
