Home hero Antonio Giovinazzi claimed WEC Imola Pole in an all-Ferrari front row lockout during qualifying while Valentino Rossi took maiden Team WRT BMW pole in LMGT3.
The 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Imola qualifying session delivered a spectacle befitting the historic Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, with the depth of talent and fierce competition across both classes setting the stage for a thrilling endurance race.
The WEC Imola Pole shootout format followed the established two-stage system, beginning with an initial session to determine the fastest cars in each category, followed by the high-stakes Hyperpole shootout for the top ten qualifiers in both Hypercar and LMGT3.
Conditions were dry and optimal allowing drivers to push their machinery to the absolute limit on the technical and flowing 4.909km circuit.
In the Hypercar category all eyes were on Ferrari racing on home soil and looking to capitalize on their strong start to the season and Antonio Giovinazzi piloting the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P continued his perfect qualifying record for 2025.
Having already secured pole in the season opener at Qatar, Giovinazzi thrilled the tifosi by delivering a sensational lap of 1:28.920 during Hyperpole, an effort that was 0.758 seconds clear of his nearest rival.
This performance was not only a testament to his skill but also to the relentless development and preparation of the Scuderia who had topped the timesheets in both the third free practice and the all-important qualifying session itself.
Lining up alongside Giovinazzi on the front row was the #83 AF Corse Ferrari handled in qualifying by Robert Kubica. Kubica’s lap of 1:29.678 was impressive in its own right but the gulf to Giovinazzi underlined the latter’s dominance.
The #83 car shared with Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson ensured a Ferrari front row lockout, a significant achievement and a morale boost for the Italian squad and their supporters.
The battle for best of the rest in Hypercar was intense with Dries Vanthoor placing the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 in third position, nearly a full second down on the pole-sitting Ferrari.
Toyota Gazoo Racing had to settle for the second row after Ryo Hirakawa delivered a strong lap in the #8 GR010 Hybrid to secure fourth, a mere 0.001 seconds ahead of teammate Nyck de Vries in the #7 car.
Mick Schumacher in the #36 Alpine A424 secured sixth place, followed by Jean-Eric Vergne in the #93 Peugeot 9X8 and Charles Milesi in the sister Alpine. These results underscored the competitive depth of the Hypercar field with multiple manufacturers represented in the top ten.
One of the major stories of qualifying was the misfortune that befell the #50 Ferrari 499P driven by Antonio Fuoco.
Despite being among the favorites and having claimed victory in Qatar alongside teammates Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, Fuoco saw both of his fast laps deleted due to track limits violations.
This penalty prevented him from advancing to the Hyperpole shootout and consigned the #50 car to 18th on the grid, a significant setback for the factory Ferrari squad.
Elsewhere in Hypercar, Alex Lynn representing Cadillac Racing in collaboration with Hertz Team Jota finished ninth in qualifying, while Kevin Estre rounded out the top ten in Hyperpole for Porsche Penske Motorsport.
MORE WEC:
Giovinazzi leads AF Corse Ferrari 1-2 in WEC Imola FP3, Peugeot third
WEC Imola FP2: Giovinazzi and Vanthoor set identical times for Ferrari and BMW
WEC Imola 2025: Robert Kubica leads Ferrari 1-2 in FP1
Rossi claims first-ever Team WRT BMW WEC Imola pole
The LMGT3 category was equally dramatic with Valentino Rossi seizing the spotlight with a sensational WEC Imola Pole.
The nine-time MotoGP world champion, now racing in the FIA WEC with the #46 WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo, delivered a memorable performance in front of a passionate home crowd.
Ahmad Al-Harthy set the tone in the initial qualifying session with a blistering lap, but it was Rossi who took over for the Hyperpole shootout.
Rossi’s lap of 1:42.355 was a masterclass in precision and commitment putting him three-tenths ahead of Clemens Schmid in the Auto Sport Promotion Lexus RC F GT3 to secure first ever Team WRT BMW pole.
The rest of the LMGT3 field saw Clemens Schmid’s Lexus securing second while Zacharie Robichon placed the Heart of Racing Aston Martin in third.
Notably, Ben Keating, the Qatar winner, could only manage 16th in the TF Sport Corvette highlighting the unpredictable and fiercely competitive nature of the LMGT3 class.
The results of qualifying set the stage for an intriguing 6 Hours of Imola. With a grid packed with talent and stories, the stage is set for another unforgettable chapter in the World Endurance Championship.
