Ferrari Takes Hypercar Pole for 2026 WEC Season Opener at Imola

Antonio Giovinazzi secured pole position for Ferrari at the historic Imola circuit, leading the grid for the 2026 World Endurance Championship season-opening 6 Hours of Imola. Toyota's #8 car qualified second, setting the stage for a fierce Hypercar battle, while the #10 McLaren claimed the top spot in the LMGT3 class during its hyperpole session.

Why it matters:

The qualifying results for the first race of the new WEC season provide an early snapshot of the competitive order. Ferrari's strong showing at its home circuit signals its intent to challenge for the title, while Toyota's proximity confirms the reigning champions remain a formidable force. The mixed grid across manufacturers promises a highly competitive and unpredictable start to the endurance racing calendar.

The details:

• Hypercar Pole: Antonio Giovinazzi, driving the #51 Ferrari AF Corse he shares with Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado, set the fastest time in the top class.
• Front Row Battle: The #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Ryo Hirakawa, Sebastien Buemi, and Brendon Hartley will start alongside the Ferrari on the front row.
• Second Row: The second Ferrari, the #50 of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen, will start third, with the #94 Peugeot 9X8 of Malthe Jakobsen, Loic Duval, and Theo Pourchaire completing the second row.
• LMGT3 Leader: The #10 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo entered by Garage 59, driven by Andrew Au, Tom Fleming, and Marvin Kirchhöfer, was fastest in the LMGT3 hyperpole, narrowly beating the #78 Lexus RC F GT3.
• Notable Entries: The Cadillac V-Series.R of Hertz Team Jota qualified fifth, while the BMW M Hybrid V8s of Team WRT and the Alpine A424s filled positions further down the top-ten in the Hypercar class.

What's next:

All eyes now turn to the race itself, where endurance, strategy, and reliability will be tested over six hours. The qualifying pace suggests a close fight at the front between Ferrari and Toyota, but the long race distance means teams like Peugeot, Cadillac, and BMW starting from the midfield remain strong contenders. In LMGT3, McLaren will aim to convert its pole into a victory against a deep and competitive field. The results from Imola will set an important early tone for the 2026 WEC championship battles.