Robert Kubica led a commanding Ferrari 1-2 finish in WEC Imola 2025 Free Practice 1(FP1) while Augusto Farfus was fastest for Team WRT in the LMGT3 category.
The opening practice for the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Imola delivered a compelling showcase of pace, adaptability and strategic acumen as teams and drivers navigated challenging, changeable conditions at the iconic Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
The session was marked by Ferrari’s commanding performance on home soil with Robert Kubica leading a 1-2 sweep for the Prancing Horse and all three Ferrari 499P Hypercars finishing in the top four setting the stage for a highly competitive weekend.
The 90-minute session began under a cool, damp Italian morning with ambient temperatures hovering around 16 degrees Celsius. Overnight rain had left the circuit in a greasy state, prompting race control to declare the track wet at the outset.
This initial declaration set the tone for a session defined by evolving grip levels and strategic tire choices. Nearly all competitors opted for wet-weather Michelin tires in the opening phase, carefully probing the limits of adhesion on a surface that demanded caution and precision.
As the session progressed, the track began to dry and the critical decision to switch from wet to slick tires became the focal point of team strategies.
Around 30 minutes into the session the majority of teams made the transition to slicks, triggering a dramatic drop in lap times from the low 1m40s to the low 1m32s as the surface improved.
This period of rapid evolution underscored the importance of timing and teamwork as drivers and engineers communicated intensively to maximize performance and gather valuable data for the rest of the weekend.
Ferrari’s home advantage was evident from the outset. Robert Kubica, piloting the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P, delivered a standout performance with a last-gasp flyer at the close of the opening session for WEC Imola 2025.
His best lap of 1:32.065 came on the final flying lap, seizing the top spot and showcasing the potential of the Ferrari package in mixed conditions.
Kubica’s time was 0.236 seconds clear of the No. 50 factory Ferrari driven by Antonio Fuoco whose 1:32.301 had set the benchmark for much of the latter half of the session.
The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari also featured prominently, finishing fourth, while the No. 12 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R with Alex Lynn at the wheel prevented a Ferrari 1-2-3 by slotting into third with a 1:32.331.
The sister No. 38 JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R also performed strongly in the hands of Jenson Button, rounding out the top five and affirming Cadillac’s status as a consistent threat in the championship.
The competitiveness of the Hypercar class was underscored by the narrow margins separating the top contenders. The top nine Hypercars were covered by less than one second, while all 18 Hypercars finished within 2.660 seconds of the leader.
Peugeot endured a session of contrasts. The No. 94 9X8 Hypercar encountered early issues completing only six laps initially before returning to the track in the final half hour to log a total of 19 laps.
In contrast, the No. 93 Peugeot managed 45 laps but came to a halt at Turn 11-12 near the end of the session, highlighting the unpredictable nature of endurance racing and the importance of reliability as well as speed.
Alpine, another manufacturer with high expectations, saw the No. 36 entry finish just outside the top five while the No. 8 Toyota slotted into seventh. The field’s competitiveness was further illustrated by the fact that all but two cars ended up within two seconds of the fastest time.
At the other end of the spectrum the Proton 963 and the No. 007 Aston Martin found themselves at the bottom of the timing screens trailing by 2.2 and 2.6 seconds, respectively.
Farfus puts Team WRT on top in LMGT3
The LMGT3 category delivered its own share of intrigue and excitement during opening practice for WEC Imola 2025. Augusto Farfus topped the class in the No. 31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO, setting a best lap of 1:43.330 in fully dry conditions.
Farfus edged out the No. 78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F GT3, driven by Esteban Masson, by a mere 0.093 seconds. The No. 46 WRT BMW, featuring Italian racing icon Valentino Rossi was third quickest in class much to the delight of the home crowd.
The top ten in LMGT3 were covered by less than a second, mirroring the close competition seen in the Hypercar category.
The session was largely incident-free with only a single Full Course Yellow procedure called roughly halfway through. This brief interruption allowed teams to practice their protocols and further refine their approach to race-day scenarios adding another layer of preparation to an already demanding weekend.
WEC Imola 2025 Free Practice 1 Results
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