Antonio Fuoco continued Ferrari’s sensational start to the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign by securing the top spot on the grid for tomorrow’s TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, as Lexus celebrated a maiden pole position in the LMGT3 category.
Three weeks after being consigned to the rear of the grid on Ferrari’s home soil for multiple track limits transgressions, Fuoco made no such mistakes at Spa. Fastest in the initial qualifying session by more than a third-of-a-second, the Italian replicated that performance in the 12-minute Hyperpole shootout to atone for his Imola error in fine style. Nobody was able to hold a candle to the 2024 Le Mans winner’s stellar effort aboard the #50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P prototype.
“To be honest, this what I love about this job, because after Imola there was so much talk going around,” Fuoco revealed. “I know my potential and I know the potential of the team, so it was just a matter of putting everything together and I think today we showed how we react. Imola was a mistake that cost us quite a lot and for sure, the pressure was on my shoulders, but I think I’ve shown it doesn’t make any difference.”
In an exciting turn of events, three Ferraris will start from the front positions at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, scheduled for Saturday, 10 May, at the historic Belgian circuit hosting round three of the FIA WEC 2025. The starting order will see the number 50 499P of Fuoco–Molina–Nielsen lead the field, ahead of the number 83 of Ye–Kubica–Hanson, and the number 51 of Pier Guidi–Calado–Giovinazzi.
Fuoco's teammate, Antonio Giovinazzi, expressed his satisfaction with Ferrari's performance in qualifying. “Starting third on the grid is a great result, and I’m happy to see three Ferraris lining up at the front here at Spa. The weekend didn’t get off to the best start for us, given the accident I had in FP2, which cost us a lot of valuable time preparing for qualifying. But I want to thank the team and the mechanics, who managed to get the 499P back on track by the end of the same session. Looking ahead to the 6 Hours, we know the race won’t be easy, and we expect several crews to be in contention.”
Meanwhile, in the LMGT3 category, Akkodis ASP Team has been threatening a breakthrough performance all season with its pair of Lexus RC F cars, and in Belgium today, the Jérôme Policand-led outfit delivered on its promise, building upon a maiden podium finish at Imola with an historic pole position at Spa – the first for both team and manufacturer. The man behind the wheel, 20-year-old Finn Gerhsitz, is an FIA WEC rookie – and fast making a name for himself in the world’s premier endurance racing championship.
Gerhsitz’s achievement marks a significant milestone for Lexus, as they celebrated their maiden pole position in the LMGT3 category. “I’m really pleased with this pole position – Ferrari's third in a row this year – which is the result of the excellent work done by the whole team,” Fuoco commented. “We managed the tyre warm-up phase well, allowing us to maximise the car’s potential on the flying lap. It’s great for me to be starting at the front again, but looking ahead to the race, we know it’s going to be long and complex. We expect several rivals to be very competitive on this track, making the 6 Hours a wide-open challenge among multiple manufacturers.”
Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti, praised the team’s performance, stating, “The result in qualifying, with three Ferraris at the front and our third consecutive pole of the season, is a testament to the strength of our team and the 499P, which once again proved it suits this track well, as seen in previous years. At the same time, based on the Hyperpole results, we are aware that some of our rivals may have focused more on race pace and preparing for the race itself, which promises to be a very complex challenge. Tomorrow, we expect several constructors and crews to be fighting for top positions. As for us, as always, we’ll do our best to score crucial points for the world championship standings.”
As the teams prepare for the race, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation. With three Ferraris at the front and Lexus making history in the LMGT3 category, the stage is set for an exhilarating showdown at Spa-Francorchamps. Fans can look forward to a thrilling six hours of racing, where strategy, speed, and endurance will all play crucial roles in determining the outcome.
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