The #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing entry clinched victory in dramatic and action-packed 6 Hours of Imola, spherical two of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship season, with Kamui Kobayashi maintaining the #6 Porsche 963 of Kévin Estre at bay within the closing phases of the race held in blended climate circumstances
The Japanese producer took victory on Ferrari’s dwelling turf after rain introduced drama and uncertainty, with groups dealing with tough tyre technique decisions within the ultimate two hours of the race whereas sure parts of the observe remained moist and others had been bone dry.
Kobayashi crossed the end line simply two seconds forward of the second-placed Porsche, however the Qatar-winning trio of Estre and team-mates André Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor maintained the lead within the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Drivers’ Championship standings.
Rounding out the rostrum was the second of the Porsche Penske Motorsport automobiles, the #5 machine of Matt Campbell, Frederic Makowiekci and Michael Christensen.
Ferrari gave the impression to be heading in the right direction to win as we speak’s race, having clinched a 1-2-3 in Saturday’s qualifying session, however a tyre technique determination when rain fell in the course of the race’s fourth hour finally led to the #50 and #51 499Ps dropping down the leaderboard.
The #50 automotive shared by Nicklas Nielsen, Miguel Molina and Antonio Fuoco clawed again up the order to complete fourth, owing to Fuoco passing Brendon Hartley’s Toyota at Tamburello within the ultimate moments of the race.
FIRST-EVER WEC CLASS WIN FOR BMW
#31 Group WRT BMW M4 of Augusto Farfus, Darren Leung and Sean Gelael clinched a superbly judged LMGT3 victory in what was additionally the first-ever WEC class win for the Bavarian marque.
The trio acquired the higher of the sister machine shared by Maxime Martin, Ahmed Al Harthy and native MotoGP legend turned GT racer Valentino Rossi, making it a BMW M4 1-2, after the #46 automotive needed to serve a drive-through penalty for rushing below digital security automotive.
The rostrum was accomplished by the pole-sitting Manthey PureRxcing Porsche trio of Joel Sturm, Aliaksandr Malykhin and Klaus Bachler, who, by including a podium end to their triumph within the Qatar season-opener, prolonged their factors lead within the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Drivers.
