***Editors note: RacerViews coverage of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship will be delayed due to coverage of the WEC Lone Star LeMans at Circuit of the Americas***
On the cusp of fall here in the Lone Star State, summer gathered itself for one final weekend scorcher as the World Endurance Championship made its first visit back to Circuit of the America’s since the 2020 edition of the Lone Star LeMans.
With temperatures tickling the triple digits, the action on track looked to be just as hot as Yifei Ye, Robert Kubica, and Robert Shwartzman piloted the number 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P to the overall victory, the first of the season for the Ferrari Customer Team and the first victory for Ferrari outside of the 2023 and 2024 victories at LeMans. Starting 2nd behind polesitter and 2023 LeMans Champion Antonio Giovinazzi, the #83 squad kept their cool from the get go as the laps ticked by, inheriting the lead some 55 laps into the race when Giovinazzi spun exiting turn 12 and stalled, prompting yellow flags to fly over COTA as the #51 was able to limp back to the pits and would ultimately retire.
As the race wore on, it became apparent that a challenge from the #50 sister car, and the #7 Toyota, would be inevitable as both manufacturers enjoyed their time at the front. In the final hour of the race, a drive through penalty for the #7 Toyota saw the #83 re-take the lead as Kamui Kobayashi hunted down Shwartzman in the final laps. However, it was too late as the checkered flag flew with a scant 1.78 seconds between Shwartzman and Kobayashi at line, securing the victory for Ferrari on a day that saw Charles LeClerc win in Monza.
The flags will fly high in Maranello as teams prepare for the seventh round of the 2024 World Endurance Championship in Fuji, Japan in just 12 days time. For now, please enjoy the below gallery from RacerViews contributor, Nick Hrehor. You can see more of these photos, as well as others on Nick’s website – nickhrehorfoto.comÂ
