00:00Ciao, welcome back everybody to Imola, to the Autodromo Enzo Edino Ferrari
00:06and to the venue for the opening race of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, the six hours of Imola.
00:14Here we are starting with the LMGT3 category and you will start with the bronze drivers
00:21followed by, if they get through to hyperpole later on, followed by the silver drivers
00:26or the higher grade of drivers, so a split strategy therefore.
00:31A new rule for this year is that they've got more tyres to use, so that's good news for all
00:37of the paying drivers
00:38that get to feel the car on brand new tyres, that's when the car feels at its best,
00:43so really looking forward to this LMGT3 qualifying.
00:46We've got 18 competitors in this field as we look at the championship starting here in Italy.
00:562, 2, 1, LMGT3 qualifying has started.
01:02And worth pointing out immediately, look at the top of the timing pylon, it started at 12 minutes,
01:08yeah it's not half an hour session, it's 12 minutes, none of you have Formula 1 15 minutes either.
01:14You've really got to get on with this Anthony, there are 18 cars out there,
01:18the fastest 10 progress to hyperpole, if you're 11th on down, that's where we know you're going to start,
01:25then if you get into the top 10, you'll have another much shorter timed run in which to set a
01:32top 10 starting position time.
01:40Struggling for position there, fighting for track position down towards Rivetta 1.
01:44All the way you were talking, clearly Alexander West in that orange and blue McLaren did not want
01:49to let the Team Turkey Corvette come by, but its bronze driver, Irish driver Peter Dempsey,
01:56was determined he wanted not to follow the McLaren across the line, so they're still warming their tyres,
02:02but they need to actually start getting a lap in, because we saw last year, particularly here,
02:08and at other tracks, but particularly here, lots and lots of laps being deleted, because of exceeding track limits.
02:38And Martin Berry in the first of the AMG GTs across the line, sets us on a bank a lap,
02:43and actually that's not bad, 1.45.9.
02:46Well, we're looking at one, we're looking at 42s, 43s when the tyres are up to temperature from these guys,
02:52so yeah, let's see after a couple of laps where they can get to.
02:58He doesn't have that mileage of, and around goes to 58 car of Alexander West.
03:05Martin Berry, but here it comes, what can Peter Dempsey do? Martin Berry quick is at the moment,
03:101.43.0, what's the time for Dempsey?
03:14Yeah, and it's 1.42, second off, wow, what a lap.
03:20Antares Howe at the moment, coming to the line, improvement in the second sector, is it enough?
03:27It is. It is. It is enough.
03:29So here are the guys that made it through, Dempsey and McIntosh Leung, the two BMWs right there at the
03:35top,
03:36Martin Berry's Mercedes, Tom Van Rompuy, first time out in a Lexus, Stefano Gattuso, Fronso Aereo,
03:41very experienced bronze driver in that 21 Ferrari, Pedro Imbrescu, Antares Howe, the other rookie,
03:47and James Cottingham make it through, but from 11th on down, this is where those cars will start the race
03:54tomorrow.
04:05So 10 cars, 10 minutes, the top 10 positions on the grid to be decided, as we head out on
04:12the warm-up lap.
04:36And Ruy Andrade, of course, in an Iron Lynx Mercedes, having spent two years racing Corvette.
04:41So learning a new car in that garage, by the way, in the Iron Lynx garage, you saw Michelle Gattin,
04:46who raced over the last couple of seasons for the Iron Dames with the Manti team.
04:52She will be joining our commentary line-up for the 24 Hours Le Mans.
04:55She is almost as excited about that as we are.
04:58I'm very excited by it.
05:00She is super excited.
05:01Dead bump in, by the way, in the paddock yesterday to both Deborah Meyer and Claudio Schiavone.
05:05Claudio tells me he'll get back next year.
05:14It's a great-looking lap from the McLaren driver already.
05:17I will tell you, he is one of the world champions of Ferrari Challenge.
05:21And crossing the line now goes to the top.
05:24It's a 1.41.555.
05:26And that's faster than last year's pole position.
05:29This is going to be a kid to watch.
05:32Here comes Clemens Schmidt in the Lexus 87, and he jumps up to fourth place.
05:38Third, by the way.
05:39Who is A-N-D in the... Oh, no, he goes second.
05:54Rui Andrade coming to the line in the 61 Mercedes-Benz.
05:58Timo Bukov-Slavsky improves, so does Andrade up to sixth place.
06:01Parker Thompson in the tic-tac livery BMW.
06:05Keep an eye on Schmidt as well in the number 87 Lexus.
06:08Ah, he was fastest overall in the middle sector.
06:12Here comes Clemens Schmidt, very sideways.
06:14Adrian David in the other Lexus with a much better lap.
06:19They look good, but they need to keep it clean.
06:21What is it as he crosses the line?
06:23Enough for second.
06:24Now keep an eye on the number 78.
06:27That's equally quick here, if anything quicker.
06:30Maybe giving up a little bit of lap time on the exit of Revazza 2.
06:33A very different style to that of his teammate.
06:35But is it going to be enough as he comes up to the line here?
06:38Don't forget, this is a man who comes from prototype racing and he goes second fastest.
06:43Puts it on the outside of the front row of the grid.
06:46That's the Racing Team Turkey car.
06:48So, Salih Olic in the gravel and that is the end of the session.
06:52The checkered flag is out.
06:53Yellow flag is there.
06:54But that, yeah, that's at Piratello.
06:56So Andrade's okay.
06:57Oh no, he's not.
06:58Red flag.
06:59That's really unfortunate for Rui Andrade.
07:02But, top six.
07:04I know he's disappointed.
07:06Maybe he had more.
07:07You saw the hands go up.
07:09Both hands off the wheel.
07:10Oh, just too late on the turn in.
07:13A bit too much speed and around it goes.
07:21So, Tom Van Rompuy, Adrian David putting Lexus 78 second on the grid behind Antares Al and Tom Fleming doing
07:28the job for Garage 59 McLaren.
07:30And it is Lexus 2-3, but debut in the World Championship, first day, first hyperpole session, first pole position
07:40for Antares Al, Tom Fleming and Garage 59 McLaren.
07:47First ever qualifying session in the FI World Endurance Championship for a brand new manufacturer, Genesis Magma Racing from South
07:56Korea.
07:56Historic moment for that.
07:58They are really pleasantly surprised with how much they're getting out of the car, and considering they have got the
08:06worst balance of performance of anybody else,
08:08the car is heavier and less powerful than any other car on the grid, because that's what happens when you're
08:14a new car.
08:15It's very impressive so far.
08:32OK, copy.
08:33Exhaust temp too high.
08:34Exhaust temp too high.
08:35Exhaust temp too high.
08:36Copy.
08:37Going back to you.
08:40Some sensible lap times on the board, finally a 1 minute 30.7, and that's bettered by Jakobsen in the
08:48number 94, Peugeot.
08:50Donc oui, on est dans le 1 minute 30s maintenant, le 1 minute 30s,
08:54c'est un peu le territoire qu'on a vu au final de FP3,
08:57le meilleur temps de l'équipe de Fuoco, c'est un 30.3.
09:00Il y a un peu de temps qui vient de l'équipe de Genesys et de Fuoco,
09:04il y a un rouge dans le secteur de l'équipe.
09:06Il se passe en, Jaminet dans la carte blanche, il fait le même.
09:11Alors, ici, António Fuoco et António Giovinazzi.
09:16Fuoco le plus rapide, Giovinazzi le plus rapide Ferrari.
09:19Malta Jakobsen, still third-faster,
09:21so neither Cadillac is in at the moment.
09:25De Vries coming across the line, green, green, in 14th place.
09:29How far up the top 10 does this put him?
09:31Way up top to the top three.
09:34And Kubica rushing to the line in the 83, yellow submarine, 5th place.
09:38That'll do for the moment.
09:40Their last push effort with 2 minutes to go as they come up to the line.
09:44Not in the top 10 yet.
09:468th, 9th, 10th, 11th.
09:48Covered by 4 hundredths of a second.
09:52Van Braun a much better lap, bottom right of your screen there.
09:55Two personal best sectors, an important one for him,
09:57but it's still not enough.
09:59Down in 13th place, what a surprise.
10:01And again, although it goes green,
10:03he could be just a thousandth quicker than his own previous best in that sector.
10:07Someone's gone off.
10:11Oh, that's who went off.
10:12It was...
10:13Well, Frein's went up to 8th.
10:15That was the 35th.
10:21That's Peugeot done for this session.
10:23One in at the moment, one out.
10:26Andre Lotra now.
10:27There aren't enough cars left to take Jakobsen out.
10:31So Jakobsen does go through.
10:33Magnussen the first to see the checkered flag.
10:35Big lock up for the number 17 car.
10:38That's Andre Lotra.
10:39And he skips through the gravel.
10:43Day one.
10:43Antonio Fuoco tops the pile at the moment.
10:47So all three Ferraris go through.
10:49So too do both Toyotas, both BMWs, an Alpine, a Peugeot and a Cadillac.
10:57Below them, 11th place, Alpine, Jolgunon.
11:0012th, Harry Tignall for the heart of racing, Aston Martin.
11:04Then Earl Bamber in 13th in the 38 Caddy.
11:07The second of the Astons, Marco Sorensen, 14th.
11:1015th for Stoffel van Doorn, the 93 Peugeot.
11:1416th and 17th, Mathieu Jaminé and Andre Lotra
11:17in the two Genesis Magma racing entries.
11:35Mid-exit is open for Hypercar Hyperpool.
11:40Ten cars, ten minutes for Hyperpool.
11:51He's really got the car up on its toes and another 3 tenths in the back.
11:561.30.2, four and a half seconds ahead of anybody yet to settle up.
12:00Sharma Lacy, 6 tenths back in second place for Alpine.
12:04Yep, so it is Peugeot from Alpine at this stage, three and a half minutes to go.
12:08Magnussen goes third.
12:10Giovinazzi will go quickly, fifth place.
12:12Fuoco should be faster.
12:14Purple was faster than Giovinazzi in sector one.
12:18Giovinazzi across the line, fastest.
12:21Fuoco should be quicker than that.
12:23and he is not by 25 thousandths of a second.
12:32Really, really good.
12:35Running, running, qualifying for Malte Jakobsen in that purge.
12:38And a purple final sector.
12:40He jumps between the Ferraris.
12:42Brilliant stuff from Jakobsen, he's absolutely on fire.
12:46Antonio Fuoco, though, steals that middle sector away from Jakobsen, but it's still changing.
12:52Friens up to P7 there.
12:54Giovinazzi on a bit of a cool down for now, but only three seconds to go, that's him done.
12:58What can Antonio Fuoco do?
13:00This is Giovinazzi.
13:02Did he cross the line?
13:03Yes, he did.
13:04So he's got one more to go, that was good timing.
13:07And watch Ryo Hirokawa, he is on an absolute flyer.
13:11Fuoco to the top of the pile.
13:13What about Toyota, Hirokawa, purple and green.
13:16This is the number eight car as we rush around the pit lane to the line.
13:22Is he going to be on the front row of the grid?
13:24Are Toyota back?
13:25They are back by a whisker.
13:28And what can De Vries do?
13:30De Vries is the next Toyota coming.
13:32Not close enough, but can they look out the front row?
13:34Can he split the Ferraris?
13:36Has Fuoco got ahead of Giovinazzi?
13:39Jakobsen now down to fourth.
13:41De Vries doesn't even get to the Peugeot driver.
13:44Kubica only goes up to eighth.
13:47Can Giovinazzi grab pole position back from Toyota's rear.
13:51Hirokawa at the line.
13:54He's on pole position.
13:57Unbelievable.
13:58The team asked him to back out of that faster lap.
14:02And by 11 thousandths of a second.
14:07And then that surprise at the end from Giovinazzi.
14:11We knew it wasn't over.
14:13I think it's P1, man.
14:14Yes, P1.
14:15Great day, great day, great day, great day.
14:22Great day, great day.
14:23Just ridiculous.
14:2511 thousandths of a second covering the front row.
14:29Second row of the grid.
14:31What a run from Alty Jakobsen.
14:3373,000 away
14:35Peugeot n'est pas très près
14:36à tout
14:383rd place
14:394th place
14:415th pour
14:42Will Stephens
14:43en la Cadillac
14:43Toyota's
14:447 car
14:45avec Nick de Vries
14:46en route
14:47le top
14:47half dozen
14:484th
14:494th
14:494th
14:494th
14:504th
14:505th
14:515th
14:515th
14:515th
14:535th
14:535th
14:535th
14:535th
14:545th
14:545th
14:555th
14:555th
15:015th
15:036th
15:056th
15:056-6-9-05-10-vile
15:067-5-10-4-7-0-ав
15:066-6-10-4-2-8-6-11-1
15:061
Commentaires