WEC Qualifying: Italy and America take the spotlight

The recently concluded WEC qualifying session at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin was far from easy for anyone, on a track that gradually became wetter and more challenging. The weather conditions changed dramatically compared to this morning’s free practice, making the circuit slippery and prone to catching drivers out.

At the top of the standings, few would have expected to see the Ferrari 499P #83 driven by Kubica, Ye, and Hanson clinch the Hyperpole with a time of 1:57.665, just ahead of the other Ferrari 499P of Pier Guidi, Calado, and Giovinazzi, only 0.099 seconds behind.

Right behind them, a surprising Peugeot #93, piloted by Di Resta, Jensen, and Vergne, managed to place ahead of the two Porsche Penske cars. The #6 and #5 secured fourth and sixth positions respectively, while the third Ferrari, #50 with Fuoco, Molina, and Nielsen, slotted in between them.

Further back, Alpine was eighth, over 2.8 seconds off the pace, Toyota only seventh with a gap of more than 3.4 seconds, and the two newcomers – BMW #15 and Aston Martin Valkyrie #009 – rounded out the top 10, but with deficits exceeding 5 and 6 seconds.

BMW e Aston Martin, surprises and disappointments across the grid.

BMW did not shine among the Hypercars as we had expected, struggling significantly under less-than-ideal grip conditions. Additionally, the #15 car faced a serious moment towards the end with a high-speed spin in the Snake section. It ultimately finished in ninth position, with a heavy gap of +5.588 seconds behind Kubica’s pole time.

Considering it was their season debut in the WEC with the M Hybrid V8, some difficulties were to be expected, but the gap remains large and highlights that there is still significant work to be done — both in terms of pure performance and car balance on a technical track like Austin. The car appeared noticeably more competitive in hot and dry conditions. In the practice sessions, BMW showed more promising pace, so it’s possible they couldn’t put everything together in the crucial qualifying lap. We’ll see if they can recover during the race pace, where historically they have shown an interesting management.

A great surprise came in those WEC qualifying from the Aston Martin Valkyrie #009, which secured a spot in the Hyperpole and finished in tenth position, +6.369 seconds off the pole. For a car still in development and making its debut this season, qualifying in the top 10 is a remarkable achievement, especially considering the level of competition. Drivers Riberas and Sørensen made the most of the car’s potential, likely helped by a good setup and the progress made during practice sessions. Aston had a great rise from the beginning of this year Aston Martin Valkyrie, a great endurance progress

WEC Qualifying LMGT3: Ford scores a stunning 1-2 at home!

Big shock in the LMGT3 Hyperpole at Austin: the Ford Mustang #88 from Proton Competition claimed pole position with a time of 2:07.645, set by a blistering lap from Gianmarco Levorato. The American car impressed everyone on the technical Texas circuit, confirming its strong qualifying potential.

Just 18 thousandths of a second behind was the other Ford, #77, driven by Sousa, Tuck, and Barker — a Ford one-two that highlights the competitiveness of the new Blue Oval GT3 in the WEC.

Third place went to the McLaren #59 of United Autosports, six tenths off the lead, ahead of the BMW #46 driven by Al Harthy, Rossi, and van der Linde. The Corvette #81, one of the pre-race favorites, finished only fifth, over 1.8 seconds off pole.

Solid performances also in those WEC qualifying from Lexus and Mercedes, although slightly behind the top runners. Closing out the top 10 were the second BMW #31 and Aston Martin Vantage GT3 #27, both more than two and a half seconds off the pace.

WEC Official Website for more: https://www.fiawec.com/