Antonio Giovinazzi led a dominant performance for Ferrari in the second free practice session for the Lone Star Le Mans, part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) held at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
The second practice session for WEC COTA lasted 90 minutes and was crucial for teams to fine-tune their setups on the newly resurfaced 5.5-kilometer track. With improved grip conditions, lap times were significantly faster compared to earlier sessions.
Antonio Giovinazzi, driving the No. 51 Ferrari 499P, clinched the fastest lap of the session with a remarkable time of 1:52.268, leading a Ferrari 1-2 finish as his teammate Antonio Fuoco followed closely behind, just 0.052 seconds adrift in the No. 50 Ferrari.
The performance not only highlighted Ferrari’s dominance in the Hypercar category but also set the tone for a competitive race weekend ahead.
The session was not without incident, however, as the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 driven by Sheldon van der Linde suffered a setback when he lost his right-rear wheel, causing the car to stop at Turn 15 prompting a brief red flag.
Despite the incident, Robin Frijns managed to set the third-fastest time of 1:52.383 in the #20 BMW, showcasing the German manufacturer’s competitiveness.
Cadillac Racing continued their strong form at COTA, with Alex Lynn piloting the #2 Cadillac V-Series.R to a fourth-place finish, just ahead of Robert Kubica in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P . The top five was rounded out by Kubica’s impressive lap time of 1:52.705.
Toyota Gazoo Racing also showed improved pace in the second session, with Sebastien Buemi placing sixth in the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid while the sister BMW M Hybrid V8, driven by Dries Vanthoor, finished seventh. Just 0.086 seconds separated fifth to seventh place in the highly competitive Hypercar class.
Hertz Team JOTA showcased their potential, locking out eighth and ninth positions with the #12 and #38 Porsche 963s, driven by Norman Nato and Jenson Button, respectively. Kamui Kobayashi completed the top ten in the #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid, rounding out an impressive display from the Japanese manufacturer.
In the LMGT3 class, TF Sport’s Daniel Juncadella topped the timesheets in the #82 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R, setting a lap time of 2:05.630.
The Spanish driver was followed closely by Alessio Rovera in the #55 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3, who finished just 0.043 seconds behind. Davide Rigon in the sister #54 AF Corse Ferrari completed the top three in class.
The #87 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F GT3 driven by Esteban Masson and the #60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 of Franck Perera rounded out the top five in the LMGT3 category.
As the teams prepare for the third and final WEC COTA practice session on Saturday, the stage is set for an exciting qualifying session and a thrilling race on Sunday.
With Ferrari’s dominant performance in the second practice, they have sent a clear message to their rivals, setting the stage for a potential victory in the Lone Star Le Mans.
