Porsche party, Peugeot bad luck
The 2024 WEC season opened in the most spectacular way, both in the premier Hypercar class and in the newly created LMGT3, and in the 1812 km of Qatar they only knew one protagonist: the Porsche. The Stuttgart company was in fact awarded the success in both categoriesalso hitting one hat-trick in Hypercar. The team's 963 crossed the finish line first after 10 hours of racing Penske #6formed by André Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre. Next, the #12 of the Hertz Jota team of Nato, Stevens and Ilott, lucky to take advantage of a sensational technical problem that eliminated any possibility of a podium for the Peugeot on the penultimate lap. Party for the second too Penske #5 of Campbell (who took pole yesterday), Makowiecki and Christensen, who completes the hat-trick for Porsche in Hypercar. Finally, great satisfaction also in LMGT3, with the success of 911 #92 by Malykhin, Sturm and Bachler. To underline the 4th place for Valentino Rossimaking his debut with the BMW of Team WRT.
Hypercar: Ferrari illusion
The 1812 km of Qatar, in reality, had begun under the best auspices for the Ferrari #50 by Miguel Molina, author of an amazing start that had taken the Red team from fourth position to the leadership. Toyota was immediately in difficulty, unlike Muller's surprising Peugeot #93, capable of recovering in the first part of the race to the top. Then overtaken by Vanthoor, during the second hour of the race Ferrari's hopes of victory were complicated, thanks to an error by Molina when returning to the pit lane which touched the white line. For this reason, Spanish comes penalized with a drive through. The other thing makes the situation worse Official Ferrari #51 by Pier GuidiThat loses the rear wing following a contact. For the Italians there is sporting desperation also for the debutant Isotta Fraschini, forced to withdraw due to a technical problem. From mid-race onwards Estre leads Vergne's Peugeot, capable of repelling the team's attacks Porsche #38 by Jenson Button. The incredible, however, happens at the end: while the former F1 driver's car is forced to stop pit stop due to a technical problem, the sensational event occurs on the penultimate lap with the retirement of the Peugeot, one step away from 2nd place. The other two Porsches took advantage of this, thus completing a historic hat-trick. Ferrari doesn't go beyond 5th place with the 499P of the AF Corse team of Ye, Shwartzman and Kubica, finishing ahead of Toyota #7, with the world champions of the Japanese company only tenths (Hirakawa, Buemi and Hartley). Not even the official Ferraris did well, with the #50 (Fuoco, Molina, Nielsen) in eighth place, while the #51 (Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi) even finished outside the top-10, in 14th place and behind 'Alpine by rookie Mick Schumacher. 15th the Lamborghini of Mortara, Bortolotti and Kvyat.
1812 km of Qatar 2024, Hypercar: order of arrival (top 10)
LMGT3: Rossi finishes in 4th place
Excellent performance also by Valentino Rossi, protagonist at mid-race at the wheel of the BMW Team WRT #46. The 'Doctor', who took over from Al Harthy, fought for a long time for the podium with Aston Martin, even if the latter will maintain second place with both Rossi and Martin in the final phase of the Qatari race. The winner, also in this case, is the Porsche 911 #92 of the Manthey Purexracing team, ahead of the two Aston Martins #27 (in which the Italian Daniele Mancinelli appears) and #777.
LMGT3: order of arrival (top-10)
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