Ferrari Dominates Qatar 1812km With Historic Podium Sweep
Ferrari’s No. 50 secured victory in the Qatar 1812km, marking its first podium sweep in the Hypercar era and the first factory win outside of Le Mans. The race saw substantial performances from various teams, although challenges were evident, particularly for competitors like Alpine and Porsche. The event highlighted Ferrari’s resurgence as they lead the manufacturers’ standings heading into future races.
Ferrari’s No. 50 499P achieved victory in the Qatar 1812km, marking the manufacturer’s fourth overall win in the FIA World Endurance Championship and their first for a factory car outside the illustrious 24 Hours of Le Mans. This triumph represents a second win for drivers Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, and Miguel Molina, who previously celebrated success at La Sarthe last year.
The race concluded with Ferrari’s No. 83 AF Corse finishing second and the No. 51 works entry in third, allowing Ferrari to accomplish its inaugural podium sweep in the Hypercar era, a feat only previously managed by Porsche in the last Qatar round. Dominance was further demonstrated through Ferrari’s leadership of nearly all laps, with only nine laps led by rival brands Cadillac and Toyota across 318 total laps.
This win is particularly significant as it marks Ferrari’s first overall clean sweep in a major endurance race since 1972, when the Ferrari 312 PBs secured the top four positions at the 1000km of Osterreichring. James Calado, competing in the No. 51 Ferrari, acknowledged the team’s unexpected return to third after facing several penalties, stating a desire to improve at the next race in Imola.
Ferrari’s perfect race performance yielded a total of 66 points in the manufacturers’ standings, giving them a commanding 31-point lead over Bayerische Motoren Werke (BMW) after their cars finished fourth and seventh. This marks Ferrari’s first instance leading the Hypercar manufacturers’ standings since the introduction of the 499P project.
Kevin Magnussen, a former Formula 1 driver, described his debut with BMW as satisfactory despite finishing fourth, noting that the Ferraris were significantly quicker. He expressed positivity regarding their performance compared to last year, highlighting the competitive spirit despite not achieving a podium finish.
Urs Kuratle, director at Porsche LMDh, remarked on Ferrari’s evident dominance, admitting that Porsche’s cars had their worst-ever result in the Hypercar era, finishing in 10th and 11th places. He emphasized the lack of competitive speed despite the drivers and team executing well. Several mechanical issues hindered the two factory-entered Porsche 963s during the race, complicating their performance.
Alpine’s entry faced challenges as it failed to score points, with Mick Schumacher citing significant difficulties linked to temperature effects on performance. He emphasized the necessity for deeper analysis to understand the car’s shortcomings better. Aston Martin displayed promise with Tom Gamble’s competitive lap times while making their race debut, encouraging their focus on learning and addressing initial issues for future events.
In the LMGT3 category, TF Sport secured their first WEC win with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, marking the fifth different manufacturer to achieve victory in this class since its inception. With Juncadella and Edgar capturing their first wins, TF Sport rejoiced in their success, reflecting on a successful outing despite the No. 81 sister car retiring early.
McLaren achieved their best LMGT3 finish to date, securing second place with their No. 59 United Autosports car and significantly improving from past performances. Lexus’s No. 78 also fared well, leading many laps before falling victim to penalties that hindered their chance at victory.
Team WRT celebrated an unexpected podium finish with their No. 31 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with Farfus noting their strategy and timing with safety cars played pivotal roles in their success. Meanwhile, Aston Martin customer squad Racing Spirit of Leman finished ninth, having maximized their performance although feeling they could learn from their experience.
Iron Lynx struggled with their Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo entry, culminating in early retirement due to mechanical failures while United Autosports honed their recognition through Sean Gelael, awarded the inaugural Goodyear Wingfoot Award based on fan voting. The race experienced interruptions due to safety car periods, resulting in a total distance completed of 318 laps at the Qatar 1812km, falling short of the full count by 17 laps.
The next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for the 6 Hours of Imola from April 18-20.
The Qatar 1812km showcased Ferrari’s dominance with a historic podium sweep and significant performance improvements across its factory teams. While other competitors like BMW and Porsche struggled, the race prompted both analysis and optimism for future events. Alpine and Aston Martin displayed potential, although mired in challenges. The event underscores a shifting competitive landscape in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Original Source: sportscar365.com
