Comments ahead of 6 Hours of Imola

Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari hosts round two of the FIA World Endurance Championship 2024 this weekend. The Ferrari – AF Corse team will line up at the start of the 6 Hours of Imola (green flag Sunday, 21 April at 1 p.m. local time) with the two 499Ps, the number 50 driven by Antonio Fuoco-Miguel Molina-Nicklas Nielsen and the 51 shared by Alessandro Pier Guidi-James Calado-Antonio Giovinazzi. Here are the comments ahead of the Italian round.

Antonio Fuoco, 499P #50: “Imola is a very important track for Ferrari and an Italian driver like myself. I am sure that there will be a special atmosphere for this round of the World Endurance Championship: I hope to see the grandstands packed with loads of fans, to whom we aim to deliver plenty of excitement this weekend.  On a technical level, I don’t expect an easy race. With so many cars at the start, the performance disparity between the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories will necessitate extensive overtaking, so also the best possible track management. The track’s layout is distinctive, with very particular corners like “Tosa” and “Acque Minerali”, interspersed with high-speed turns with narrow run-off areas. We must drive flawlessly, harnessing our car’s potential while avoiding errors”.

Miguel Molina, 499P #50: “The ‘home’ race for Ferrari awaits us at Imola and we expect a weekend with a special flavour for the whole team and for us drivers. The goal is to offer the fans a lot of excitement and be able to celebrate a successful result with them. In the weeks between the Qatar debut, which certainly wasn’t easy for us, and the eve of this race, we worked hard to be ready for the 6 Hours of Imola”.

Nicklas Nielsen, 499P #50: “Last year, we finished second in the Italian race at Monza, and the display put on by the fans beneath the podium was remarkable. We also hope to see lots of supporters cheering us on at Imola. The race will be long and on an attractive but technically challenging track. After our difficult debut in Qatar, we arrive in Italy confident in our preparations, although we’re aware that the 6 Hours will be demanding”.

Alessandro Pier Guidi, 499P #51: “This year’s Italian World Endurance Championship race brings something new, both in terms of track and calendar: Imola makes its FIA WEC debut, and we won’t be racing in front of our tifosi in midsummer, like last year at Monza, following the Le Mans win, but in the second round of the season. I think we’ll see a big crowd in the stands, and with the fans in mind, we’ll aim to give them an excellent result after our difficult debut in Qatar. What do I think of the track? Imola is one of the best tracks to drive on, alternating between fast and very slow corners. I really appreciate this variety, plus the fact that the track features continuous ups and downs. There will be lots of cars on the track and heavy traffic, so a good qualifying will be crucial”.

James Calado, 499P #51: “Our debut in Qatar this season was less than positive, so we’ll arrive at the 6 Hours of Imola intending to do our best to secure as many championship points as possible. Imola? I like the track a lot; it possesses a unique charm because of its constant undulations, but it’s narrow and offers limited ideal points for overtaking. Traffic management will be a crucial factor throughout the six hours”.

Antonio Giovinazzi, 499P #51: “Racing in Italy is always a unique experience for a Prancing Horse driver. That’s why I am sure that the 6 Hours of Imola will have a distinctive appeal for our entire team. After the 1812 km in Qatar, an unlucky race for us, we come to Imola aiming for a positive result to celebrate with our fans. Climbing the podium in front of what I expect will be a large crowd would represent a significant achievement. I’m very fond of the Imola track. It offers considerable grip and medium-fast corners, making it enjoyable to drive even with prototypes”.

Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti: “Like every race in Italy, the 6 Hours of Imola is an event with a special flavour for Ferrari. Following an unlucky debut in Qatar, we’ve worked non-stop for the Italian round of the World Endurance Championship. We expect a big turnout of fans in the stands at the weekend to support our crews. The crowd will be extraordinary, and we aim to provide them with plenty of excitement. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari embodies the history of Italian motor racing. Despite being new to the FIA WEC calendar, it has previously hosted unforgettable endurance races. One such event was the Imola 500 Kilometres in the Italian Sport Championship. In 1972, this race saw Ferrari achieve a one-two with the 312 PB driven by Arturo Merzario and Jacky Ickx. Imola hosts the world championship this year, allowing the public to admire the Ferrari 499Ps on the track in the Hypercar class and the two 296 LMGT3s competing in the production-derived car category”.

Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars: “After the strenuous, difficult test in Qatar, where we fought for positions far from the top, we want to make up for it and return to competing for the podium at Imola. On the other hand, we know that the layout and characteristics of the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari, quite treacherous in terms of mechanics, suspension and brakes in particular, will require a dedicated setup and defining the strategy is sure to be complex, also due to the high number of overtakes that will be anything but straightforward. We therefore paid special attention to preparing this race in the usual driving simulator sessions at Maranello, also benefiting from two tests on the track, at Portimão and at Paul Ricard, where engineers, mechanics and drivers could train and experiment with the optimal setups suggested by the simulations. We’re confident that we can have a good race, hoping for a sea of red flags featuring the Prancing Horse to be waving at the end of the race beneath the podium”.