TOYOTA GAZOO Racing faced mixed emotions following their qualifying day at the Lusail International Circuit, marking the start of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season. The team, reigning manufacturers’ World Champions, is set to defend its title against 18 Hypercars from seven other manufacturers during the season opener, the Qatar 1812km race.
Nyck de Vries managed to secure seventh place during the qualifying session for the #7 GR010 HYBRID car, which he shares with teammates Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi. Meanwhile, Brendon Hartley encountered significant struggles, finishing 17th with the #8 GR010 HYBRID alongside Sekou Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa. The conditions were cooler compared to the previous week’s Prologue, presenting challenges throughout the 12-minute qualifying event where all Hypercars competed fiercely for one of the ten spots available for Hyperpole.
While Nyck qualified ninth and advanced to Hyperpole, Brendon faced difficulties, including spinning and going off-track, leaving the #8 car without setting any competitive lap time.
During Hyperpole, Nyck utilized new medium compound Michelin tyres effectively, earning second place on the grid and clocking only 0.920 seconds behind the pole position held by the #51 Ferrari.
Reflecting on his performance, Nyck de Vries commented, “We are reasonably satisfied with seventh place because this was pretty much the maximum we could do. We haven’t been the strongest this week and it’s been a challenge up to now. So, to put ourselves in the mix today was important for the race. It will be tough, and we want to have a good, clean race, capitalise on opportunities, and hopefully score many points.”
Brendon Hartley candidly shared his frustrations, stating, “That was not a nice qualifying. I didn’t get enough tyre temperature for my first push lap and was already behind in the first sector. Then I bottomed the car in turn 15 and it spun me around.” Despite the disappointing results, he expressed optimism for the race, thanking his teammates for their performance during practice.
The Ferrari – AF Corse team showcased their strength by clinching the first and third positions during qualifying, thanks to drivers Antonio Giovinazzi and Antonio Fuoco, driving the #51 and #50 499P cars respectively. The third car, #83, featuring Robert Kubica, will take the grid from eighth place.
Giovinazzi expressed gratitude to his team and excitement about his strong performance, stating, “Starting from the front tomorrow here in Qatar is the result of the great teamwork we have done.” Fuoco echoed his teammate’s sentiments, emphasizing their competitive edge as they prepare for the challenging race.
Antonello Coletta, representing the team, remarked on the significance of this qualifying performance, marking Ferrari’s fifth pole position within the Hypercar class. He acknowledged the challenges the upcoming race would present, retaining confidence based on their solid groundwork from the qualifiers.
Another notable performance came from the Vista AF Corse's Ferrari 296 LMGT3 team, with both cars qualifying within the top five. This success can be attributed to strong showings from François Heriau and Thomas Flohr during the initial session. The new regulations require Gold-rated drivers for Hyperpole, resulting in Francesco Castellacci qualifying fourth overall with the #54 car, followed by Simon Mann placing fifth with the #21 entry.
The first qualifying session attracted high competition, with just over one second separating the top ten drivers. Heriau achieved fifth place whilst Flohr’s #54 car finished eighth. Castellacci’s performance featured times closely competing with the best, showcasing the drivers’ capabilities.
The opening race of the 2025 FIA WEC season, the Qatar 1812km, promises excitement, commencing on Friday, 28 February, at local time 2 p.m. The teams are poised for what is expected to be not only tightly contested but also strategically demanding as they navigate the Lusail Circuit's challenges.