Ferrari vs. Porsche at Imola: Who Will Dominate?

The 6 Hours of Imola ignites as Ferrari aims to outpace Porsche on home turf, with Peugeot’s 9X8 debut adding intrigue.

The second round of the 2024 World Endurance Championship takes place this weekend at the iconic Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, marking the 6 Hours of Imola. This is the first time the WEC will visit the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region since its inception.

The event will feature the 14 manufacturers competing this season (Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Peugeot, Porsche, and Toyota), with 37 cars (19 Hypercars and 18 LMGT3) and a roster of 110 drivers from 28 different countries.

This second round will see the competitive debut of Peugeot’s all-new 9X8, which boasts radical aerodynamic enhancements, including the addition of a rear spoiler.

In total, 12 Italian drivers will compete at home this weekend, including the Ferrari AF Corse trio of Antonio Giovinazzi, Antonio Fuoco, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, and the Lamborghini Iron Lynx duo of Mirko Bortolotti and Edoardo Mortara. Local hero and multiple MotoGP world champion, Valentino Rossi, will also draw significant attention driving the WRT team’s BMW M4 in LMGT3.

Line-up changes at Alpine and Cadillac

Additionally, there will be two changes to the entry list compared to the inaugural race in Qatar. The first involves the Alpine #35 team, where Jules Gounon, winner of the 12 Hours of Bathurst, will replace Ferdinand Habsburg following an accident during a test session that left the Austrian with two fractured vertebrae.

The second change affects the Cadillac #2, which will have only two drivers this weekend, British Alex Lynn and New Zealander Earl Bamber, as Sébastien Bourdais will be at Long Beach for the IMSA championship.

The track, which runs counterclockwise, is characterized by its unique old school nature, and watching the Hypercars navigate the 4,909 kilometers will be spectacular. During each lap, drivers will reach speeds of about 312 km/h and will be at full throttle for approximately 50% of the lap.

Porsche dominated the 10 hours of Qatar in both Hypercar and LMGT3 categories at the inaugural round. However, with so many entrants this year, the German manufacturer will face numerous contenders this weekend.

Furthermore, with a vastly different track layout and contrasting weather conditions, this second round is expected to be a completely different story, and it will be fascinating to see which cars are best suited to the unique challenge presented by one of the most sacred grounds in motorsport.

Complete entry list (PDF version)

Weekend schedule

Friday, April 19:
Free Practice 1: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Free Practice 2: 5:15 PM – 6:45 PM

Saturday, April 20:
Free Practice 3: 11:10 AM – 12:10 PM
Qualification + Hyperpole: 2:45 PM – 3:55 PM

Sunday, April 21:
Race: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM