James Calado set the fastest lap time of 1:42.123 to place the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P on top in Qatar WEC FP1.
The Free Practice session marked the official start of preparations for the highly anticipated 2025 FIA WEC season opener – the Qatar 1812km – at the Lusail International Circuit race, with teams and drivers vying to establish early dominance in what promises to be a fiercely competitive season.
Qatar WEC FP1 began under clear skies and optimal track conditions, with temperatures conducive to consistent running and data collection. Teams wasted no time in hitting the track, eager to fine-tune their setups and strategies for the demanding endurance race ahead.
The 90-minute session saw intense action across both the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories, with several standout performances highlighting the depth of talent and engineering prowess on display.
James Calado’s performance in the #51 AF Corse Ferrari 499P was nothing short of remarkable. Sharing driving duties with Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi, Calado pushed his car to its limits, delivering a best lap that outpaced his nearest rival by 0.267 seconds.
This lap not only secured Ferrari’s place at the top of the timesheets but also underscored their strong start to the 2025 FIA WEC season after a promising showing in pre-season testing.
Sebastien Bourdais in the #38 Hertz Team JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R was Calado’s closest rival, clocking a time of 1:42.390. Bourdais’ effort during Qatar WEC FP1 demonstrated Cadillac’s competitiveness as they continued to build on their momentum from recent testing sessions.
The #38 car shared with Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn completed a solid number of laps, showcasing both speed and reliability.
The Scuderia’s dominance extended beyond Calado’s performance, as Miguel Molina secured third place in the #50 AF Corse Ferrari 499P with a time of 1:42.528.
Molina’s consistency ensured that both Ferrari entries remained within striking distance at the top of the leaderboard, signaling a strong team effort heading into the weekend.
Toyota Gazoo Racing also delivered an impressive run with Brendon Hartley piloting the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid to fourth place with a best lap of 1:42.665. Despite not topping the charts, their steady pace indicated that they remain a formidable contender in this year’s championship.
BMW M Team WRT rounded out the top five, thanks to Dries Vanthoor’s effort in the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8. Vanthoor’s lap time of 1:42.730 highlighted BMW’s potential as they aim to challenge established manufacturers like Ferrari and Toyota throughout 2025 FIA WEC.
Qatar WEC FP1 run was not without its challenges. A red flag was brought out midway through following an incident involving Alex Riberas in the #009 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Valkyrie.
Riberas encountered technical issues that forced him to stop on track at Turn 1 after completing just 14 laps. While this temporarily halted proceedings, teams quickly resumed their runs once the track was cleared.
Ben Barnicoat fastest in LMGT3
Besides the Hypercar action, the LMGT3 also sparked attention with Ben Barnicoat leading the category in the #78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 with a time of 1:55.623.
His late-session flyer edged out Dani Juncadella in the #33 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R by just 0.113 seconds. Charlie Eastwood completed the top three in LMGT3 for TF Sport’s sister Corvette entry.
The Qatar WEC FP1 session also saw some cars returning to action after encountering issues during pre-season testing.
Notably, both Racing Spirit of Leman’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo and Proton Competition’s Ford Mustang GT3 were back on track after resolving technical setbacks from last weekend’s Prologue event.
However, Iron Lynx’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos were absent from Free Practice 1 as they awaited a critical software update related to their refueling systems.
As Free Practice 1 concluded, it became evident that Ferrari had set an early benchmark for their competitors to chase. Their strong showing in both entries highlighted not only raw speed but also reliability—key factors for success in endurance racing.
Meanwhile, Cadillac and Toyota demonstrated that they are more than capable of challenging Ferrari’s dominance as the weekend progresses.
Looking ahead, teams will have another opportunity to refine their setups during Free Practice 2 later today under Lusail’s iconic floodlights—a unique feature of racing in Qatar that adds an extra layer of complexity to night-time sessions.
With qualifying just around the corner, all eyes will be on how these early performances translate into race pace for Sunday’s marathon event.
The Qatar 1812km promises an exhilarating start to the 2025 FIA WEC season as manufacturers like Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, and Porsche battle it out for supremacy on one of motorsport’s biggest stages.
