Ferrari Dominates Qatar Race with Historic Podium Sweep in FIA WEC

The No. 50 Ferrari 499P won the 1812km Qatar race, marking Ferrari’s first podium sweep in a major endurance race since 1972. Drivers Fuoco, Nielsen, and Molina each celebrated their second victory. Ferrari leads the Hypercar manufacturers’ standings, while BibMW’s Magnussen and Porsche faced challenges during the race. TF Sport won in LMGT3, as Iron Lynx struggled with technical issues.

The No. 50 Ferrari 499P emerged victorious in the 1812km race in Qatar, marking Ferrari’s fourth outright win in the FIA World Endurance Championship and their first win outside of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a factory car. Drivers Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, and Miguel Molina celebrated their second victory together, following their success at La Sarthe in the previous year.

Ferrari showcased remarkable dominance, with the No. 83 AF Corse finishing in second place and the No. 51 works entry following closely in third, achieving a historic podium sweep for the brand. All but nine of the 318 laps were led by Ferrari vehicles, with Cadillac and Toyota leading a mere seven and two laps, respectively. This marks the first time Ferrari has secured a complete podium sweep in a prominent endurance race since their success in 1972.

James Calado expressed surprise at recovering to third position after several penalties affected the No. 51 Ferrari’s standing. He highlighted communication issues during the race but maintained optimism, stating, “We’ll come back at Imola. We showed what we had today in terms of pace.” Ferrari earned a perfect 66 points in the constructors’ standings, leading the Hypercar manufacturers’ race for the first time since the introduction of the 499P project.

Kevin Magnussen, competing with BMW, expressed satisfaction with his team’s fourth-place finish despite the dominance of the Ferraris. He noted significant improvement in the car’s performance compared to previous years, stating, “It’s been a real pleasure fighting for pole position and for the podium.” Meanwhile, Porsche’s LMDh director remarked on Ferrari’s commanding performance, noting their cars finished in tenth and eleventh, which was a disappointing result for the brand.

Alpine faced challenges, finishing without scoring any points, and Mick Schumacher admitted that the cooler temperatures adversely impacted performance. He indicated that a deeper analysis is required to understand the issues better. Aston Martin’s team reported a promising performance from their new Valkyrie cars, commenting on the positive pace shown during the race and anticipating better competitiveness as the season progresses.

TF Sport achieved notable success with the Corvette, marking their win in the LMGT3 category and becoming the fifth different manufacturer to do so since its inception. The other manufacturers included Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin, and Ferrari. This win marked the second victory for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R within the year, following a successful run at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Despite missing out on a victory, McLaren recorded its best-ever LMGT3 result with a second-place finish. Lexus improved significantly from past performances, achieving a strong finish thanks to a penalty that affected their chances of winning. The race also saw Team WRT achieve an unexpected third-place finish, credited to strategy and team management during the race.

Aston Martin’s customer squad managed to score points in their first outing, while Iron Lynx struggled significantly with technical issues leading to retirements during the race. The newly established Goodyear Wingfoot Award was presented to Sean Gelael based on fan voting rather than performance metrics. The race featured multiple safety car periods, contributing to it finishing 17 laps short of the total expected lap count.

The upcoming round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is scheduled for the 6 Hours of Imola, taking place from April 18 to 20.

Ferrari’s historic podium sweep in Qatar highlights their resurgence in the FIA World Endurance Championship, showcasing their competitive edge. The race also underscored the challenges faced by other manufacturers, including Porsche and Alpine, while recognizing the impressive performances from teams like TF Sport and Aston Martin. The upcoming race at Imola promises further excitement in the championship.

Original Source: sportscar365.com