Ferrari Dominates Qatar 1812km Race with Historic Podium Sweep

The No. 50 Ferrari 499P won the Qatar 1812km race, marking Ferrari’s fourth overall win in the FIA World Endurance Championship and its first factory win outside of Le Mans. Ferrari achieved a podium sweep, with all three entries finishing in the top three, a historic first since 1972. Other teams, including BMW and Porsche, faced challenges, indicating the competitive nature of the series as they prepare for the next round at Imola.

The No. 50 Ferrari 499P secured victory in the Qatar 1812km race, marking its fourth overall win in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the first for a factory car outside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This triumph adds to the achievements of drivers Antonio Fuoco, Nicklas Nielsen, and Miguel Molina, who also celebrated their second win after last year’s success at La Sarthe.

Ferrari achieved a historic podium sweep, with the No. 83 AF Corse placing second and the No. 51 works entry taking third. Notably, this was the first overall podium sweep for Ferrari in major sports car endurance racing since 1972. Out of the 318 laps raced, Ferrari led the majority, further establishing its dominance with Cadillac and Toyota trailing behind.

James Calado remarked on the recovery of the No. 51 Ferrari to third place despite penalties that initially pushedit down the rankings. He stated, “It was tricky with ‘Giovi’ [Giovinazzi] in the car…but sometimes these things happen.” Ferrari, with a perfect scoring of 66 points, currently leads the manufacturers’ standings, having surpassed BMW and Toyota.

Kevin Magnussen, in his WEC debut with BMW, reviewed his fourth-place finish as “satisfactory,” acknowledging the superior pace of the Ferraris ahead. Porsche’s LMDh director, Urs Kuratle, expressed that Ferrari was “definitely in a different league” as their own cars finished well outside the top ranks, highlighting a challenging race for the German team.

Alpine faced difficulties, with Mick Schumacher citing performance issues in colder temperatures. He noted, “When the temperatures were alright, the car felt pretty good…but when temperatures dropped, you clearly saw a big drop in performance.” In contrast, Aston Martin showed promise during their race debut, indicating potential for competitiveness as the season progresses.

In LMGT3, the TF Sport trio secured a victory for Corvette, becoming the fifth manufacturer to win in this category. The performance marked a significant achievement for first-time winners Juncadella and Edgar, while Keating added to his victory tally. Both McLaren and Lexus improved their standings, highlighting competitive finishes, albeit without wins.

Augusto Farfus described his third-place finish for Team WRT in the BMW M4 GT3 as “unexpected,” crediting strategy and avoiding penalties for their success. The Racing Spirit of Leman managed a commendable ninth place in their debut. However, Iron Lynx experienced a challenging race, leading to retirements for their Mercedes-AMG entries, significantly impacting their standings.

Sean Gelael was honored as the first recipient of the Goodyear Wingfoot Award based on fan voting. Throughout the race, multiple safety car periods led to the Qatar 1812km falling short of the full distance by 17 laps due to time constraints. The next event on the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar is scheduled for the 6 Hours of Imola from April 18-20.

The recent Qatar 1812km race showcased Ferrari’s dominance, achieving a historic podium sweep and further establishing its lead in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Despite challenges faced by other competitors, such as Porsche and Alpine, the event highlighted the competitive nature of endurance racing. The next challenge awaits at Imola as teams continue to refine their performance throughout the season.

Original Source: sportscar365.com