The 2025 FIA WEC season finishes at Bahrain’s Sakhir Circuit with an eight-hour race. The number 21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 entered by Vista AF Corse and shared by François Heriau, Simon Mann and factory driver Alessio Rovera is still in the running for both the drivers’ and teams’ titles. A win and two podium finishes have taken the crew into the eighth and final round in second place on 94 points, just 11 behind the championship leaders. Teammates Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Davide Rigon, in the number 54 car, sit seventh in the standings, having also taken two podium finishes this season. The green flag for the race will wave on Saturday, 8 November at 2 p.m. local time (12 p.m. CET).

The track. The Bahrain International Circuit hosts the FIA WEC season finale for the ninth time, the sixth consecutive since 2020, and the seventh over an eight-hour distance. Inaugurated in 2004, the 5.412-kilometre Sakhir circuit features 15 corners, nine right-handers and six left-handers, combining long straights with bends of varying radii, some of which are especially slow, putting the braking system under significant strain. Tyre wear is another key factor, mainly caused by fluctuations in temperature that can be very high at the start and drop quickly towards the end of the race, which takes place after sunset under floodlights.

History. With its customary position at the end of the season, the Bahrain circuit has frequently hosted decisive world championship battles. Ferrari has claimed eight class victories with its GT cars at the Bahrain International Circuit – three in GTE Pro, four in GTE Am and one in LMGT3, the latter just last year with Heriau, Mann and Rovera. Sakhir has also served as the setting for Ferrari drivers to clinch the GTE Pro title on five occasions: in 2013 with Gianmaria Bruni; in 2014 with Bruni and Toni Vilander; and in 2017, 2021, and 2022 with Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado. Ferrari has also won the GT Manufacturers’ title seven times at this venue. The Bahrain circuit has also been the setting for four Ferrari victories in the GTE Am drivers’ championship: in 2015 with Basov–Shaytar–Bertolini, in 2016 with Perrodo–Aguas–Collard, in 2019–20 with Perrodo–Collard–Nielsen, and in 2021 with Perrodo–Nielsen–Rovera.

The standings. The number 21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3 of Heriau, Mann and Rovera comes to Bahrain on 94 points, largely thanks to victory at Spa-Francorchamps and runner-up finishes at Le Mans and Fuji. The gap to the championship leaders stands at 11 points. The number 54 Ferrari 296 LM GT3, driven by Flohr, Castellacci, and Rigon, sits seventh in the standings with 54 points, earned from two third-place finishes at Spa and Texas.

The programme. Track activities kick off on Thursday, 6 November at 12:15 p.m. with the first 90-minute free practice session, followed by a second session at 5 p.m. On Friday, 7 November, the third free practice session – lasting 60 minutes – begins at 12 p.m., with LMGT3 qualifying at 4 p.m. and the Hyperpole at 4:20 p.m. The day’s programme concludes with Hypercar qualifying at 4:40 p.m., followed by the Hyperpole session at 5 p.m. On Saturday, 8 November, the race will go green at 2 p.m., with the chequered flag falling at 10 p.m. under the floodlights. The traditional end-of-season Rookie Test will take place on Sunday, 9 November. (Local Times)