The tifosi roared and the Prancing Horse delivered. In front of over 65,500 passionate fans, Ferrari kept its flawless 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship streak alive with a thrilling win at the 6 Hours of Imola. From pole position to the top step of the podium, Antonio Giovinazzi, James Calado, and Alessandro Pier Guidi masterfully guided the #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P Hypercar to a triumphant home victory.
It was a race shaped by strategy and nerves of steel. The #51 Ferrari looked dominant early on—at one point stretching its lead to nearly 30 seconds—but this was no cruise to the flag. A second safety car just past the halfway mark reset the field, piling pressure from Porsche, Toyota, and BMW. But the red machine held strong, slicing through the tension lap after lap around the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, eventually crossing the line with nearly ten seconds in hand.
“It’s been an incredible weekend,” said an elated Giovinazzi, who continues his unbeaten run in 2025 Hyperpole sessions. “From Friday onwards, we’ve been right at the top. The race was tough with all the Full Course Yellows and safety cars, but the team was perfect—we made all the right calls. The car, my teammates, and the fans… everyone was fantastic. What a Sunday!”
This victory marks Ferrari’s first overall endurance racing win on home soil as a factory effort since 1973—a historic moment that also catapults the #51 crew to the top of the Drivers’ standings and extends Ferrari’s lead in the Manufacturers’ championship.
BMW, Alpine Snag Podium Spots Amid the Chaos
Behind the leading Ferrari, alternate strategies and fierce battles shaped the fight for the podium. The #20 BMW M Team WRT Hypercar of René Rast, Robin Frijns, and Sheldon van der Linde claimed a hard-fought second place—despite rear wing damage from a clash with Toyota’s Mike Conway. It was a breakthrough result for the trio, marking their first top-three finish of the season.
Alpine Endurance Team capitalized on a strong qualifying to seal third, with Mick Schumacher, Jules Gounon, and Frédéric Makowiecki finishing just under four seconds shy of the BMW.
AF Corse’s second Ferrari came home fourth, with Robert Kubica, Philip Hanson, and Yifei Ye keeping the pressure on throughout. Toyota’s top finisher, the #8 GR010 Hybrid, claimed fifth—thanks in no small part to Sébastien Buemi’s superb defensive stint against a charging Antonio Fuoco. Earlier, Fuoco’s teammate Nicklas Nielsen electrified the crowd by slicing through the grid from dead last to the top six.
The #15 BMW, once a podium contender, slipped to sixth, just ahead of the #7 Toyota. Meanwhile, defending champions Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor finally opened their 2025 account with a gritty eighth-place finish. Matt Campbell also starred in the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, fending off Giovinazzi in a tense hour-long duel despite running on older tyres.
LMGT3 Drama: Rossi Shines, Porsche Prevails
The LMGT3 class delivered a nail-biting finale once again—and this time, the duel was between Porsche and BMW. The #46 Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 EVO, fresh off a stunning pole from Valentino Rossi, looked poised for glory. Ahmad Al-Harthy handed over a strong lead to the Italian legend, who only widened the gap… until disaster struck.
A clash with Simon Mann’s #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari resulted in a stop-and-go penalty, dropping the home favorite’s car to eighth. But Rossi’s teammate Kelvin van der Linde wasn’t done yet. A late-race charge brought the BMW right onto the tail of race leader Richard Lietz in the #91 Manthey Porsche.
In a tense, no-holds-barred final stint, Lietz held firm under relentless pressure, securing Porsche’s first LMGT3 win of the year and denying Rossi a fairy-tale home victory—again.
Akkodis ASP Team secured third and fourth place, bringing Lexus its first-ever FIA WEC podium finish.
Next Stop: Spa
The FIA WEC action continues at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps for Round 3 of the championship, from May 8–10. Expect more drama, more speed, and maybe a little rain. Don’t miss a moment—watch live or on demand on the official FIA WEC platform.
