Ferrari made quite the statement during the final free practice session (FP3) of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship at the Lusail International Circuit, Qatar, by finishing 1-2-3 with their 499P Hypercars. This commanding performance has set the stage for the opening round of the championship, signaling both confidence and capability from the Italian racing team.
The 60-minute session, held on February 27, 2025, was characterized by cool and cloudy conditions, with light rain falling intermittently but not enough to warrant the use of wet tires. Despite these challenges, the Ferrari team showed incredible skill and finesse on track. Antonio Fuoco clinched the top spot with a blistering lap time of 1:39.484, narrowly edging out teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, who clocked in just 0.081 seconds slower on his lap time of 1:39.565.
Ferrari’s dominance was underscored by the fact they occupied the top three positions. The third of their entries, the #83 driven by Robert Kubica, was just 0.4 seconds off Fuoco’s pace, showcasing the factory team's all-around strength within the Hypercar category. "Antonio Fuoco and Antonio Giovinazzi set the times for the factory Ferraris with Nielsen peaking on a 1m39.484s," remarked the session’s analysis.
While Ferrari dazzled on track, other competitors like Cadillac made their presence felt, with their No.38 and No.12 Cadillac V-Series.Rs taking fourth and fifth places. Sebastien Bourdais recorded the fastest lap for Cadillac with 1:40.017, followed closely by teammate Alex Lynn. The pair’s performance suggests they could pose significant competition as the championship progresses.
Peugeot, with their No.93 9X8 Hypercar, placed sixth, with Jean-Eric Vergne setting the fastest time of 1:40.653, just edging out his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne. BMW’s M Team WRT was well represented with the No.20 car finishing eighth, driven by Robin Frijns. The reigning champions, the No.6 Porsche 963 from Porsche Penske Motorsport, ended up ninth, driven by Matt Campbell, indicating mixed signals early on for the established powerhouses.
Turning attention to the LMGT3 category, McLaren had equally strong metrics with the No.95 United Autosports 720S LMGT3 Evo, where Sean Gelael set the session’s fastest time of 1:54.569. This marked McLaren's second consecutive top performance at the Losail International Circuit. Gelael’s teammate, Darren Leung, along with Marino Sato, look to build on this momentum as they compete against fierce rivals.
Finn Gehristz from the No.78 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F LMGT3 showed promise with his time placing him second overall, clocking 1:54.661, which was just 0.092 seconds behind Gelael. McLaren’s No.59 car was close on their heels, with Gregoire Saucy managing to secure third place with his lap time of 1:54.738. Fourth position was nabbed by Charlie Eastwood driving the No.81 TF Sport Corvette, achieving 1:55.018.
The top five spots were rounded out by Clemens Schmid from the No.87 Akkodis ASP Lexus setting a time of 1:55.215. AF Corse’s #54 Ferrari 296 LMGT3, with Francesco Castellacci, also participated effectively, managing to post a time just below 1:55. those palpable pressures behind the competition.
Teams' responses to the session conditions varied with only minor incidents affecting progress. Notably, Ben Keatings had an off-track moment with his No.33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R after 42 minutes, leading to a brief full-course yellow flag during which officials facilitated his recovery. Fortunately, the pause was short-lived, allowing the track to resume green flag running.
With qualifying scheduled to occur later today at 17:00 local time (14:00 UTC), the results from FP3 provide meaningful insights moving forward. Competitors will look to capitalize on the information gleaned from this session to fine-tune their strategies and performance heading toward both qualifying and the main race. Ferrari's clean sweep, along with McLaren's fitting triumph, creates heightened anticipation among fans and teams alike as they gear up for the weekend's events.
The building tension is palpable as the teams assess their strategies and tune their vehicles for what promises to be yet another thrilling championship as the FIA World Endurance Championship kicks off.