6 Hours of Imola: what’s at stake?

Ferrari is at ease. Whether from Qatar or on its home turf, the Scuderia has dominated head and shoulders above the rest. In Imola, the 499Ps led all practice sessions and qualifying. Proof that this hypercar is highly efficient, despite a less favorable BoP than in the opening round.

Sunday, March 20, car #51 will start from pole position, with the #83 from the private AF Corse team alongside. Given the performance shown since the beginning of the weekend, Ferrari is the big favorite in Emilia-Romagna. However, several factors need to be considered. Reliability is crucial, as the #83 experienced an engine problem during free practice 3. Then, the weather could disrupt plans. Weather forecasts predict a few drops. But will they be there? Will they be strong enough to affect the race?

Porsche and Toyota on the backfoot

Behind, a few outsiders could stand up to the prancing horse cars. BMW has been impressive since the start of the season and has challenged the Scuderia in qualifying. Even though the #15 is the only one to have made it past the hyperpole, one must not forget the #20, which is capable of displaying a very strong pace.

For the places of honor, it will be a contest between several manufacturers: Alpine, Peugeot, Toyota, and Porsche. For now, the Japanese manufacturer seems better positioned. But in six hours, anything can happen. Alpine is still seeking its first points this season and could seize this opportunity. The lion-branded company showed a solid start to the weekend… The battle promises to be intense and close.

On the other hand, for Porsche, it’s not quite there yet. For now, we are a bit behind our competitors. We have a lot of work to do. We now need to deliver a flawless performance on race day to make progress – we are determined to score as many points as possible in the world championship, acknowledges Jonathan Diuguid, the director of the Porsche Penske Motorsport program.

Cadillac must be cleaner

At Toyota, the message is similar. The reigning world champion team does not look like a structure capable of retaining its title. “We are not as competitive as we would like to be. So we have to work hard tonight and tomorrow to maximize our chances,” confirms Kamui Kobayashi, driver of the #7.

Cadillacs have been very strong since the start of the season. But they make far too many mistakes. The accident in Qatar is still remembered. At Imola, the #12 ended up in the wall during the third free practice session. And Sébastien Bourdais, in the sister car, the #38, did not manage to get into hyperpole. The Frenchman just finished ahead of the Aston Martins, who are gaining in confidence.

The British manufacturer, still trailing, is starting to threaten the last cars in the pack. It must be said that learning in IMSA helps a lot. The Valkyries, by staying clean, could take advantage of others’ misfortunes to make a move.

The race will start at 1 p.m.