Antonio Fuoco kept Ferrari at the top of the timesheets during Friday’s second practice session for this weekend’s FIA WEC Imola 6 hours.
Antonio Fuoco piloted the #50 factory Ferrari 499P to a 1:30.957 during FP2, extending Ferrari’s strong start to their home event after Yifei Ye’s fastest lap in the privateer entry topped Free Practice 1 earlier today.
Fuoco posted the fastest lap a little over 20 minutes into the 90-minute practice, making history as the first driver of the weekend to make it to the 1:31 mark as he concluded the day ahead of the pack with a 0.342-second advantage.
But unlike in FP1, Porsche made sure Ferrari wouldn’t complete the day with a commanding lead in the top two spots thanks to Kevin Estre’s second-fastest time of 1:31.299 in the No. 6 Penske Porsche 963, which won the race in Qatar.
Robert Shwartzman made a late surge in the third No. 83 Ferrari, which topped FP1, propelling him to third place, 0.374 seconds behind Fuoco.
Meanwhile, Toyota enjoyed a faster session; the #8 GR010 HYBRID finished the day with a best time of 1:31.729 to place fourth, ahead of the #12 HERTZ Team JOTA Porsche 963, which rounded out the top five.
Peugeot’s two updated 9X8 2024s were sixth and eighth fastest with Stoffel Vandoorne recording the French manufacturer’s fastest time in the No. 94 car. The duo was split by the best of the Alpine A424s, Mick Schumacher’s No. 36 car.
James Calado finished ninth fastest in the last Ferrari No. 51 while Rene Rast sneaked into the top 10 with his last flying lap in the fastest of the BMW M Hybrid V8s.
Lamborghini was only 15th fastest overall with the new SC63’s time of 1:32.863 set by Mirko Bortolotti, unable to match the speed it showed in first practice. However, they were lapping fractionally quicker than the Cadillac as the Ganassi crew struggles to find a set-up that works thus far, despite having reportedly tested in similar conditions here last year.
The #5 Porsche also failed to show outright pace, ending up 18th and two seconds off the benchmark time.
In LMGT3, TF Sport maintained its impressive performance from FP1 with Charlie Eastwood leading in the No. 81 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
Eastwood recorded a time of 1:41.986 to dethrone his opposite number, Daniel Juncadella in the sister No. 82 Corvette by 0.266 seconds. Meanwhile, Alessio Rovera placed the No. 55 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 second, 0.187 seconds behind the lead.
Davide Rigon’s No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari and Alex Riberas’ No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo came in fourth and fifth respectively.
Just before the halfway point, Takeshi Kimura’s off at Tosa aboard the No. 87 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 caused a brief full-course yellow, which was the only interruption to the session.
Meanwhile, United Autosports was having problems elsewhere. As result of an oil leak, the #59 McLaren GT3 EVO was only able to complete eight laps during the session, ending the day at the bottom of the times.
Track action resumes on Saturday morning at 11:10 a.m. local time (5:10 a.m. EDT) with the final practice session.
