We are ready for the 2023 Sebring 1000 Miglia, with Ferrari ready to debut on pole thanks to Antonio Fuoco
March 17, 2023
SThe qualifying for the opening round of the WECthe Endurance championship that sees debut the Ferrari 499P with a result as historic as it was unexpected: although for the entire Prologue and Free Practice it was Toyota that dominated, the Italian Antonio Fuoco managed to impress in qualifying, ensuring the Maranello company a pole-position start in the Hypercar category. The two cars from the Japanese manufacturer and the other Ferrari, the #51, follow. In LMP2, United Autosports will start from the front row with car #23 while in LMGTE the pole “woman” is Sarah Bovy of the Iron Dames, on his first podium. Let’s see what happened in qualifying, waiting for the 1000 Miles of Sebring which will start on March 17 at 17:00 Italian time to finish after, precisely, 1000 miles or eight hours.
WEC, 1000 Miglia 2023: Ferrari flies among the Hypercars
Sit seemed impossible, yet the Ferrari 4999P managed to make its debut in WEC qualifying with a pole: that of Anthony Fire. The Italian managed to keep the favorites behind Toyotadespite the excellent time set by Brandon’s GR010 #8 Hartleywhich precedes the #7 of Kobayashi. Nothing could be done in the final 15 minutes, with the Ferrari 499P #50 burning the competition in the central sector with a time of 1’45″067. The other Red, that of Alessandro Pier Guidi, he had to settle for a fourth place full of bitterness, as a mistake probably cost him third place.
The two Ferraris and the two Toyotas will be ready to battle it out in the Hypercar category, far from the other competitors. Fifth place was in fact conquered by Cadillac #2 driven by Lynn one second away from Fuoco and with behind the Porsche 963, with the #6 of Estre preceding the #5 of Christensen.
Disappointing Peugeot, with Duval’s 9X8 2″3 behind the leader and Jensen’s #93 even 3″1, in ninth position due to a problem that required a system reset at the beginning of the session. The Hypercar category ends with Pla’s Glickenhaus in front of Dillmann’s Vanwall.
LMP2: United prima con Jarvis
Nella categoria LMP2 instead he dominated the United Autosports Of Jarviswho scores with his Oreca 07 Gibson a chrono of 1’49″974, a result obtained despite a mistake that led him to go wide. Second the Whom #28 of Fittipaldijust ahead of #31 by WRT the Fridges and to Alpine #36 of Vaxivièere.
In fifth position we find the Whom #48 of Yifei Ye in front of WRT in Kubica. The other United, the one led by Hanson, are four-tenths behind along with the According to Of Cauldrons. In ninth position is Aubry’s Vector Sport #10, ahead of Bortolotti’s Prema, Costa’s Inter Europol Competition and finally the other Alpine, Negrao’s #35.
LMGTE AM, Bovy wins over Keating: a matter of tenths
La pole-position conquered by Sarah Bovy of the Iron Dames in LMGTE AM Class was obtained with extreme mastery: the pilot has in fact made the fastest time trial of all with a time of 1’58”949 obtained by taking considerable risks and bringing the Iron Dames back to the lead, even on a different car. The Belgian managed to keep the home hero behind Ben Keating su Porsche 911 RSR-19, la #85.
The challenge between the two cars was exciting for the entire session, with the Belgian beating the American by 0″396. Keating however kept behind the Corvette C8.R #33 driven by Pratt&Miller. In third place we find theAston Martin by debutant Ahmad Al Harthy, whose #25 by Ort by TF is 0″7 from the leader but keeps behind the Vantage.
It’s the turn of Ferrariwith the 488 #83 of Richard Mille AF Corse driven by Luis Pérez Companc in fourth position ahead of Stefano Costantini’s #21. In sixth position was Hyett with the Porsche #56 of Project 1-AO followed by the Ferrari of Kessel racing of Kimura, ahead of the Aston Martins of Dalla Lana, driving the #98 NorthWest AMR and Hoshino on #777 D’Station Racing/TF.
The category concludes its Top10 with the Ferrari #54 of AF Corse ahead of Porsche #88 of Dempsey-Proton Racing, driven by Ried and finally the other Porsche, this time the #86 by GR Racing di Wainwright.
The 1000 Miles of Sebring will start on Friday 17 March at noon local time, 5.00pm in Italy, and will last 8 hours.
