Imola Shakedown: Ferrari Dominates First FIA WEC Prologue Session

In a compelling start to the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Prologue test at Imola, Ferrari’s trio of 499Ps showcased their prowess under challenging, drying track conditions. Reigning world champion Antonio Giovinazzi clocked a blistering 1:31.586 in the closing minutes, propelling the #51 Ferrari AF Corse entry to the top of the timesheets, narrowly surpassing Robert Kubica’s #83 AF Corse 499P, which registered a time of 1:31.683.

Nicklas Nielsen rounded out the Ferrari dominance, with the #50 entry securing third place at 1:32.568.

Cadillac’s #12 V-Series.R took fourth, while BMW’s #20 M Hybrid V8 followed closely. The competitive midfield saw just 0.4 seconds separate the fourth through thirteenth positions, with Toyota’s new TR010 Hybrids falling off as the session progressed, finishing 11th and 13th after focusing on tire comparisons. Notably, the #8 TR010 completed a session-high 100 laps.

Genesis Magma Racing’s GMR-001s made their debut, finishing 15th and 16th overall, highlighted by Pipo Derani’s best lap of 1:33.968.

In the LMGT3 category, Ferrari continued to excel with Alessio Rovera setting the fastest time at 1:42.875 in the #21 Vista AF Corse 296 LMGT3 Evo. This was just 0.038 seconds ahead of Finn Gehristz in the #58 Garage 59 McLaren. The top six were rounded out by Nicky Catsburg’s #33 TF Sport Corvette, showcasing a diverse field with six different manufacturers represented.

The session was briefly interrupted by a red flag due to an incident involving Marco Sorensen’s #009 Aston Martin, which collided with the wall at Tamburello. Sorensen, unharmed, assessed after a medical check.

Challenges were also faced by the #15 BMW M Team WRT M Hybrid V8, which managed only 25 laps before requiring an engine change, showcasing the rapid track evolution. Numerous Full Course Yellows interrupted the session due to various incidents and debris.

Afternoon running is set to continue from 14:00 CEST, providing teams with significant track time to further refine their setups ahead of the impending season.

Quick Stats:

• Fastest Overall: #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P – 1:31.586
• Top 3 Finishers:

  1. 51 Ferrari AF Corse – 1:31.586

  2. 83 Ferrari AF Corse – 1:31.683

  3. 50 Ferrari AF Corse – 1:32.568

• LMGT3 Fastest: #21 Vista AF Corse 296 LMGT3 Evo – 1:42.875