Full Breakdown
Ferrari Dominates Opening Practice at the 6 Hours of Imola
4/17/2026, 11:05:39 PM
Ferrari's Strong Start to the Season
Robert Kubica led an all-Ferrari top three during the opening practice session of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season at Imola on April 17. Driving the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, Kubica clocked a best lap of 1:31.739, narrowly edging out Antonio Fuoco in the No. 50 works Ferrari by just 0.023 seconds. Antonio Giovinazzi, in the title-defending No. 51 Ferrari, secured third place with a time of 1:31.982, marking a continuation of Ferrari's dominance from the Prologue test earlier in the week.
Performance of Other Teams
The best of the non-Ferrari competitors was the No. 12 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series R, with Will Stevens achieving a time of 1:32.183. Peugeot's two 9X8s followed closely, with Malthe Jakobsen and Stoffel Vandoorne finishing fifth and sixth, respectively. Toyota's new TR010 Hybrid, driven by Sebastien Buemi, finished seventh, over eight-tenths off the pace. The session saw Genesis Magma Racing's GMR-001 cars finishing 15th and 17th, indicating a significant gap of 1.5 seconds from the leaders.
Context of the 6 Hours of Imola
The 6 Hours of Imola serves as the opening round of the 2026 WEC season, following the postponement of the Qatar race. This event is particularly significant for Ferrari, as they return to their home circuit as the reigning Drivers' and Manufacturers' champions. The Imola circuit, known for its challenging layout of 21 corners over a length of 4.909 km, is expected to provide critical insights into the teams' performance early in the season.
Official Statements & Responses
Ferrari's head of endurance race cars, Ferdinando Cannizzo, noted the importance of testing at Imola, stating, “We knew the weather would be good for testing and it was a chance to test the Soft [Michelin] compound.” He emphasized the team's adaptability to various track conditions and setups. Meanwhile, Toyota Racing's technical director David Floury expressed cautious optimism about their performance, stating, “We are still learning a lot about the car and the tires.”
Criticism & Opposition
Despite the strong showing from Ferrari, concerns were raised regarding the performance of other teams. Genesis team principal Cyril Abiteboul acknowledged that their GMR-001 cars finished at the bottom of the timesheets but emphasized the focus on reliability and execution over lap times at this stage of the season.
What's Next
The second practice session for the 6 Hours of Imola is scheduled for April 17 at 3:15 p.m. local time. Following this, the weekend will feature additional practice sessions and qualifying rounds leading up to the race on April 19.
Verbatim Quotes
- “At the same time, we knew the weather would be good for testing and it was a chance to test the Soft [Michelin] compound.” — Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars, Ferrari
- “***Floury told reporters: “We are still learning a lot of about the car and the tires.” — David Floury, Technical Director, Toyota Racing
- “Honestly, we’re not paying too much attention to the lap time at this time, it’s all about reliability and good execution and so far they’ve been very good.” — Cyril Abiteboul, Team Principal, Genesis Magma Racing
