FERRARI TRIUMPHS BUT TAKES A FEW TOO MANY RISKS

After a dazzling debut in Qatar, Ferrari continued its strong run in the WEC, sealing a well-deserved victory at its home race in Imola. The #51 499P brought back to Maranello what slipped away a year ago due to a strategy that didn’t pay off. This time, Giovinazzi, Calado, and Pier Guidi delivered a rock-solid performance from start to finish: pole position by Giovinazzi, smart race management, and the kind of composure that often makes the difference in a six-hour race.

Personally, I never doubted that Ferrari would bring the result home. With a finally rebalanced BoP (Balance of Performance), this was an opportunity they couldn’t afford to miss. That said, AF Corse did take a few avoidable risks. The technical package was so superior that a double podium should’ve been the bare minimum—but an overly aggressive tire strategy ended up hurting the #83, which dropped out of the top three.

That early triple stint cost them valuable time around the halfway point of the race—just when the #6 Porsche Penske took the lead thanks to a more straightforward approach with double stints on mediums. The 963, clearly slower on raw pace, held its ground until Campbell’s braking error opened the door for Ferrari to retake control. Without that mistake, the comeback wouldn’t have been as easy—especially since the #83 got caught up in traffic and couldn’t fully unleash its speed.

And what about the #50? The only hypercar to genuinely fight its way back from the rear of the grid. With the pace it had, a podium wasn’t just wishful thinking. But then came an early pit stop—more than 20 minutes ahead of schedule—to put Fuoco in the car. That decision took them out of sync with everyone else’s strategy and ultimately pushed them outside the top ten. The safety car caused by Rossi gave them a shot at redemption, but an overly heated battle between Fuoco and Buemi shut down any remaining hopes. It’s surprising Buemi wasn’t penalized, especially considering his defensive style, which has already raised eyebrows—like in Austin 2024.

Joining the #51 Ferrari on the podium were the #20 BMW and the #36 Alpine, both of which benefited from the safety car’s timing. The other BMW, driven by Marciello, had been fighting for third before being pushed out of contention due to that same interruption. The #6 Porsche also fell back in the closing stages, hampered by worn tires—odd, given that tire management is usually a strong point for the 963. It was a day to forget for Cadillac, which, without the minimum weight advantage, dropped to the back of the field. And Peugeot had no luck either, struggling with tire longevity throughout the race.

In the GT3 class, victory went to the #92 Porsche, aided by a costly mistake from Valentino Rossi. Brilliant in qualifying, the nine-time world champion was disastrous during the race. Despite Mann’s tenacious defending, it was clear he wouldn’t hold the position for long. Still, Rossi forced an improbable move at Rivazza 2, damaging the Vista Ferrari 296—and ruining his own race in the process.

Thankfully for the team, Kelvin Van Der Linde came to the rescue. Starting mid-pack, he carved his way through the field and was right on Lietz’s tail in the #911 Porsche by the end. Maybe with one more lap, he could’ve pulled it off—but sometimes, time just isn’t on your side.

© Simone Marchetti Cavalieri

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