IMSA | Ferraris slowed down by traffic in Daytona Qualifying

The session, characterized by a red flag displayed after a few seconds which, although not blocking the clock prevented the cars from taking to the track, took place with low temperatures (27°C on the asphalt, 12°C in the air) and a light wind which, however, favored a cloud-free sky.

Once back under the green flag regime, the clock was reset to 7 minutes and 37, leaving the final 5 minutes of the session with a vibrant fight for pole position.

With 33 drivers within 1″8, a significant role in the result was also played by traffic, which prevented the Maranello cars from fighting for pole position.

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Daniel Serra, driver designated for qualifying by Risi Competizione, achieved a time of 1'44”831, copying Perera's performance on a Lamborghini to the nearest thousandth, but was 449 thousandths behind poleman Priaulx on a Porsche. The Brazilian will start from fifth position in class, twelfth overall.

“It was a qualifying conditioned by traffic, because the car's potential was greater and I am convinced that we would have had the chance to fight for pole”, explains Serra.

“Unfortunately I didn't have the opportunity to put all the sectors together and this will lead us to start fifth.”

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

#023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3: Onofrio Triarsi, Charles Scardina, Riccardo Agostini, Alessio Rovera

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Albert Costa, with the 296 GT3 of Conquest Racing, stopped the clock at 1'44”722, 228 thousandths of a second from the best result in the class, obtained by Thompson in the Lexus.

For the Spaniard, the sixth position in class coincides with the eighth overall: “I am thrilled to have closed the session in the first six places; it was exactly my goal and I am extremely satisfied with the efforts made by the team to achieve this result”.

“The car handles exceptionally well, offering a smooth driving experience that I really enjoy. It's important to remember that this is a new program and we are still learning, but I believe we are making progress in the right direction.” .

“During the Roar and the free practice sessions we experimented with different approaches. My teammates were exceptional and contributed significantly to our result. We are all aligned in our understanding of the car's performance, which simplifies our tasks.” .

“The mechanics are also doing a fantastic job. It's crucial to keep our focus, stay humble and keep moving forward. So far, everything looks promising.”

Photo by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Images

#47 CETILAR Racing Ferrari 296 GT3: Roberto Lacorte, Giorgio Sernagiotto, Antonio Fuoco, Eddie Cheever

Behind him will be Antonio Fuoco, with the Cetilar Racing car, setting a time of 1'44”811.

“The strategy we had thought of was based on two laps of tire preparation and then attacking the time in the third attempt, but the red flag changed the plans”, comments the Calabrian.

“If we had had the chance to cover even just one more lap, I am convinced that the weather could have been better.”

Alessio Rovera finished in eighth place – thirteenth overall – defending the colors of Triarsi Competizione, 34 hundredths away from his best performance.

“It wasn't a lucky session from a traffic point of view, I wasn't able to find a clean lap”, regrets the native of Varese.

“In those tense moments, however, it wasn't even possible to create a margin from the car in front as it would have meant losing even more time and positions.”

Finally, with a time of 1'45”041, Miguel Molina qualified the 296 GT3 of AF Corse in eleventh place.

“The session was difficult due to traffic and we were not able to exploit the potential of the car – admits the Spaniard – I am convinced that we could have started further up the grid, but I still remain confident for the race”.