Ferrari triumphs at the Six Hours of Imola: Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi dominate

A show of strength, and that comforting feeling that things have started to fall into place as desired, without having to pay a heavier price for bad luck. The triumph of Ferrari 499p number 51 of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado e Antonio Giovinazzi to the Six Hours of Imola made the people of the Reds who arrived on the Santerno rejoice, and relaunched the endurance ambitions of the pony.

Qatar's hat-trick on its debut, with the victory of the '50' of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, had aroused wonder not without doubt as to whether the values ​​on the field had been fully reflected by the dominance recorded in the order of arrival: Imola confirmed that yes, Ferrari can legitimately look down on everyone. And the alternation on the top step of the podium at the start of the season is also significant: a sign that the project is valid, and that several interpreters can raise it to the top.

The car that had found success in the desert unfortunately had an uphill battle on the weekend of its home race, starting with its relegation to last place on the grid of the '50' due to track limits exceeded by Fuoco in qualifying. But on Sunday too, the Rossa staged a furious comeback, and only in the final part of the race when a puncture compromised everything again, after Nielsen had been able to climb back to fifth position and Molina had recomposed the Ferrari trio in the top positions halfway through the race. In fact, the performance of the third Prancing Horse single-seater in the private number 83 of Af Corse was also worthy of applause, finishing at the foot of the podium with Kubica, Ye and Hanson.

The car of Pier Guidi - excellent in managing the final stages - Calado and Giovinazzi had not won since the historic victory at Le Mans in 2023. A good sign that it has returned to do so, and in this way, after having left everyone behind on the starting grid. The eight seconds of margin maintained in the final stages over the second-placed BMW number 20, apparently a trifle, constitute a full confidence. Frijns, Rast and Van Der Linde were unable to complete a comeback with the German single-seater that would have been sensational. Third was the Alpine number 36 of Gounon, Makowiecki and Mick Schumacher. The big disappointments were Aston Martin and Toyota.

The number 51 Rossa leads the Hypercar World Championship at 50. In Spa (20 May) and Le Mans (14-15 June) he can only start with the highest ambitions on the tracks of the legend.

In the Imola race he was unfailingly applauded Valentino Rossi. After the magnificent pole on Saturday, the 'Doctor' came close to winning the race, finishing second by just three tenths in the Lmgt3 on his BMW M4 Wrt. And there was also the thrill of ramming the Ferrari of Vista Af Corse, in an attempt to regain the lead of the race, which reshuffled the cards on the table in the 6 Hours (Valentino was penalized with a stop & go). The second place finish together with his teammates Al-Harty and Van der Linde still made Rossi exult. First was the Porsche of Pera, Lietz and Hardwick, third was the Lexus of Robin, Gehrsitz and Barnicoat. Valentino & co. took home 18 points. At the top was the Corvette number 33, with 44 points, strong from its debut victory in Qatar.