The FIA WEC’s Imola weekend got underway with Ferrari topping Free Practice 1. Robert Kubica ran fastest in the #83 499P with a last-gasp flyer at the end of the 90-minute.
His time was a 1:32.065, which dethroned the #50 factory Ferrari that finished with a time of 1:32.301 from Antonio Fuoco.
Best of the rest was the #12 JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R, which slotted in third with a 1:32.331 from Alex Lynn. That lap prevented a Ferrari 1-2-3, as the #51 ended up fourth with a lap over half a second off Kubica’s benchmark.
The session began in tricky, greasy conditions following light rain this morning, with teams initially sampling the wet Michelins. But the times tumbled from low 1:40s as the session went on, when slick tyres came into use and the majority of teams in Hypercar approached and surpassed the 40-lap mark.
Further down the order, the #38 Cadillac finished up fifth, marginally quicker than the fastest of the two Alpines, the #36. The #8 Toyota ended up seventh and all but two cars ended up within two seconds. The Proton 963 and #007 Aston Martin occupied the bottom of the screens, 2.2 and 2.6 off.
In the LMGT3 class, the #31 WRT BMW led the way with a 1:43.330 courtesy of Augusto Farfus. The #78 Lexus, carrying on AKKODIS ASP’s fast form from Qatar, ended up second after lapping quickly in wet and dry. Super sub Esteban Masson set the car’s best time, a 1:43.423.
Kelvin van der Linde claimed third in the #46 BMW, adding to the strong start to the weekend for WRT with a 1:43.453.
The top five was completed by the #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari and #87 Lexus, which completed flying laps within half a second.
Down in 17th and 18th TF Sport’s Corvettes were 1.5 and 1.8 seconds off, with the Qatar winning #33, which is carrying success ballast as a result of its Round 1 performance, the slowest car.
Image courtesy of DPPI
