Friday – Entry and Free Practice sessions
The 2026 season opener sees the FIA WEC return to the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, stepping in to host the first round following the postponement of the Qatar event. While the paddock feels energized, the entry list of 17 Hypercars reflects the absolute legal reality of recent regulatory shifts.
The most significant change is the absence of the Porsche factory team. Because of the mandate requiring manufacturers to enter at least two cars, the lack of a factory Porsche presence has also removed the privateer Porsche entries, such as Proton. This leaves the no. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P as the sole remaining privateer entry in the Hypercar field. This consolidation is offset by the debut of Genesis (Magma Racing), while the Alpine Endurance Team begins what is confirmed to be its final season in the top class.
Friday’s track action took place under clear skies. In the first free practice, the Ferraris immediately asserted their local dominance. The privateer no. 83 Ferrari, with Robert Kubica (POL) at the wheel, set the fastest time of 1:31.739, followed closely by the two factory 499Ps. It appears the Ferrari remains the car to beat over a single lap here, even with the updated 2026 Michelin tire compounds.
The afternoon session (FP2) saw a strong performance from the departing Alpine squad. Charles Milesi (FRA) in the no. 35 Alpine A424 dipped under the 1:31 barrier with a 1:30.898, finishing just ahead of the no. 7 Toyota. It is an encouraging start for Alpine in their farewell year; they appear to have found a setup that handles the aggressive Imola kerbs significantly better than in 2025. The Toyotas, celebrating their 100th WEC start this weekend, remained efficient but focused heavily on long-run energy deployment data rather than chasing headline times.
In the GT3 class, the Lexus RC F and Ferrari 296 GT3s traded the top spots throughout the day. Meanwhile, the Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG entries seemed to be searching for a better balance in the slower technical sectors during their first home appearance of the season.
Saturday – Final Free Practice
The final hour of practice this morning saw the pace intensify as the track rubbered in. Antonio Fuoco (ITA) in the factory no. 50 Ferrari 499P asserted his authority with a 1:30.370, the fastest lap of the weekend so far. The gap between the top nine Hypercars remains under a second, suggesting that this afternoon's qualifying will be decided by the narrowest of margins.
While the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Deutschland provides a high-quality one-make spectacle in the support paddock, the real interest for long-time enthusiasts lies with the Legends of Le Mans. Watching these historic machines take to the track brings back vivid memories of the 2011 ILMC 6 Hours of Imola.
We still remember that legendary battle where the Audi R18 TDI and the Peugeot 908 fought a brutal duel across this very tarmac. It was a high-water mark for the diesel prototype era, and seeing those lines again at Imola is a polite nod to the history that paved the way for the sophisticated hybrid systems we see today.
Saturday – Qualifying and Hyperpole
The Hypercar Hyperpole was a masterclass in evolving track conditions and strategy. Alessandro Giuseppe Maria Giovinazzi (ITA) secured back-to-back Imola poles for the no. 51 Ferrari AF Corse, clocking a 1:30.127. The session was incredibly tight; Giovinazzi admitted the car was difficult to drive with track temperatures 15 degrees higher than last year. He was unsure if his time would hold, especially after Antonio Fuoco (ITA) had posted a 1:30.088 in the preceding qualifying session.
The Tifosi were treated to a dramatic finish as Ryo Hirakawa (JPN) briefly held provisional pole in the no. 8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid with a 1:30.138. Hirakawa exceeded expectations despite struggling with the 2026 Michelin rubber, having moved from medium tires in qualifying to softs for the shootout. Malthe Jakobsen (DEN) also turned heads by placing the no. 94 Peugeot 9X8 fourth with a 1:30.200, just 0.073 seconds off the top spot.
Further back, the no. 35 Alpine A424 of Charles Milesi (FRA) secured seventh, while Robert Józef Kubica (POL) struggled with front grip in the no. 83 Ferrari, ending up eighth. The Genesis Magma Racing debut saw Mathieu Jaminet (FRA) place the no. 19 Genesis GMR-001-Hypercar in 16th, focusing on reliability and gathering data for their first six-hour race.
In LMGT3, Thomas Fleming (GBR) took a sensational pole on his WEC debut for Garage 59, recording a 1:41.181 in the no. 10 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo. He was joined on the front row by Hadrien David (FRA) in the no. 78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F. It was a session of mixed fortunes, as the no. 34 Corvette of Salih Yoluç (TUR) triggered a red flag, leading to the deletion of his lap times and a start from 10th. Heart of Racing also faced a difficult day, with Ian James (GBR/USA) and Gray Newell (USA) qualifying 13th and 15th after missing out on the top-ten shootout.
Legends of Le Mans: Race 1
Christian Albrecht (GER) dominated the opening Legends of Le Mans race, leading every lap in the no. 008 Lola Aston Martin DBR1/2. He crossed the line 26.331 seconds ahead of Shaun Lynn (GBR) in the no. 4 Peugeot 908 HDI FAP, whose V12 diesel note provided a nostalgic contrast to the modern hybrid field.
The LMP2 class victory went to François Perrodo (FRA), who finished third overall in the no. 83 Porsche RS Spyder, 42 seconds behind the leader. Evgeny Kireev (CYP) followed him in the LMP2 category with the no. 46 Oreca 05. In the LMGTE class, Franz Wunderlich (GER) took honors in the no. 25 Aston Martin Vantage AMR, finishing 12th overall.
**Current Status:** The grid is set for the 6 Hours of Imola. With Ferrari on pole but Toyota and Peugeot within a tenth of a second, and a risk of rain looming for Sunday, the technical management of tires and track position will be critical.