The No. 50 Ferrari 499P achieved victory at the Qatar 1812km, marking Ferrari’s first podium sweep in a major endurance race since 1972. The race highlighted Ferrari’s dominance, leading 309 laps, while drivers faced various challenges and noted improvements in performance. The next round is scheduled for the 6 Hours of Imola on April 18-20.
The No. 50 Ferrari 499P achieved its fourth overall victory in the FIA World Endurance Championship at the Qatar 1812km race, marking a historic milestone as the first factory win outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Drivers Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, and Miguel Molina celebrated their second win together following their previous triumph at La Sarthe last season. Ferrari secured an impressive podium sweep with the No. 83 AF Corse finishing second and the No. 51 entry in third, leading to the brand’s inaugural overall podium lockout.
Ferrari’s domination was evident, leading 309 of the total 318 laps, with Cadillac and Toyota briefly leading some laps. The victory also signifies Ferrari’s first complete podium sweep in a major endurance race since 1972. Regarding the performance of the No. 51 Ferrari, driver James Calado noted unexpected challenges with communication during the race yet expressed confidence in their pace for future events such as Imola.
From a competitive standpoint, Ferrari earned a perfect score of 66 points in the manufacturer standings, establishing a notable 31-point lead over BMW. Notable responses arose from other manufacturers: Kevin Magnussen deemed his fourth place with BMW “satisfactory,” and Porsche’s Urs Kuratle admitted that Ferrari was “in a different league,” given their disappointing performance with Porsche finishing in 10th and 11th.
Alpine’s race was challenging, as it became one of the few manufacturers not to score points. Mick Schumacher identified temperature-related performance drops as a crucial issue for their competitiveness. Aston Martin’s Adam Carter acknowledged a positive experience despite initial challenges, emphasizing a learning curve for the Valkyrie.
In the LMGT3 category, the Corvette team achieved success, marking the fifth winner since the class’s inception. Drivers Daniel Juncadella, Jonny Edgar, and Ben Keating celebrated victory, while United Autosports and Lexus also demonstrated improved performances. Notably, Augusto Farfus highlighted the unexpected third-place finish for Team WRT, attributing their success to effective strategy utilization.
Contributing to the overall race experience, the event featured four safety car periods, which led to the Qatar 1812km finishing slightly short of its intended distance by 17 laps due to time constraints. The next FIA World Endurance Championship event is scheduled for the 6 Hours of Imola on April 18-20.
The Qatar 1812km race concluded with a historic win for the No. 50 Ferrari 499P, marking Ferrari’s first overall podium sweep outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The performance underlined Ferrari’s dominance with leading laps and a secure lead in the manufacturers’ standings. Competing teams, including BMW, Porsche, Alpine, and Aston Martin, showcased their challenges and milestones, indicating a highly competitive season ahead. The upcoming 6 Hours of Imola promises further excitement in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Original Source: sportscar365.com
