The media success caused by the WEC among all Italian motorsport enthusiasts continues. Over 73 thousand spectators participated in Imola’s modern debut in the world of Endurance. Great satisfaction for the organizers and excellent response from the public and critics. Ferrari, Valentino Rossi and all the others already working for the next seasonal stage in Belgium.
The amazement of Imola
The President of Formula Imola, Gian Carlo Minardidoes not hide his personal satisfaction with last weekend’s event: “It was a fantastic 3 days, excellent organisation. Naturally we cannot fail to be satisfied with the public’s response, the 73,600 attendance is a figure that certifies the success of the event. It is the first year that we have organized a round of the WEC and I must say that thanks to the teamwork of all parties in the field there are the foundations to be able to continue in the coming years”.
Minardi’s words are echoed by those of the Mayor of Imola, Marco Panieri: “Over 73 thousand total attendances are extraordinary news, which fills us with pride and exceeds all our expectations. A work in synergy, successful and which traces a virtuous path to continue to follow together. We are proud of this return, 50 years since the first race and of the response that has been generated by this event. From Valentino Rossi’s return to the track in Imola to the memory of Ayrton Senna a few minutes before the start, we can see the historical value of this edition“.
All the good Ferrari
Despite the disappointment with the final result, Ferrari also analyzes the positive aspects of the WEC weekend. Antonello Coletta, Global Head of Endurance and Corse Clienti comments as follows: “The disappointment is combined with the regret of not having given the deserved joy to the many fans who came to Imola who, once again, demonstrated their great affection for Ferrari and the passion for our commitment in the top Endurance class. Among the positive notes, without a doubt, I want to highlight the success among the independent AF Corse teams, the first achieved by the 499P number 83 in its second world championship participation“.
Ferdinando Cannizzo, Head of Endurance Race Cars also analyzes the strategic factors: “We know that the performance of the Ferrari 499P with slick tires is excellent in wet track conditions. There remains a lot of work to do and, as usual, we will work with humility to return to Spa competitive again“.
BMW’s satisfaction
Great satisfaction for the BMW Group. Imola was a great experience marking the first historic success in LMGT3 in Endurance.
“In Hypercar, we have made great progress after the challenging start in Qatar. We had the pace to achieve a result on our own. I’m happy that car number 20 was able to have its say in the leading group for the entire duration of the race, even in difficult conditions.
The first accident of car number 15 was very unfortunate and annoying. Thanks to BMW M Team WRT, who rebuilt the car and got it back on track. This allowed us to finish the race and collect important data to continue improving. Congratulations to all drivers and crew members. Thanks to everyone at BMW M Motorsport and the team For a very successful weekend!” the comment of Andreas Roos Head BMW M Motorsport.
The satisfaction of Valentino Rossi’s teammates was also great, for Maxime Martin: “A fantastic result for the team. We had a strong car and decided on a courageous strategy. This made the difference in the end. Congratulations to crew number 31 on their victory! We have collected a lot of points and will continue to work hard in the next races“.
Lamborghinis
Lamborghini also raced on the home circuit, whose headquarters are just a few kilometers away. Its LMDh prototype once again impressed in the Hypercar category in terms of reliability and performance growth in terms of competitiveness. Rouven Mohr, Lamborghini Chief Technical Officer: “It was a very exciting race, especially because there were so many fans at our home race. Imola is always very special and the performances have improved. This means that we are going in the right direction and, race after race, we are learning a lot“.
Pilot Daniil Kvyat is on the same wavelength: “Honestly, the team did a good job, despite the variable weather conditions experienced during the race. We know there is a lot of work to do, but we are certainly on the right path. Now we need to exchange as much information as possible to improve the car, but we must be happy with today’s results because twelfth place was our best result in the championship. It was difficult to ride in these conditions, I had some critical moments on the track, but I enjoyed it“.
Next Spa commitment
The entire WEC circus will meet enthusiasts at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for the third round of the World Endurance Championship scheduled for next year Saturday 11 May. At the moment the registration list for the next TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps sees some driver changes. Above all, the entry into the Lamborghini Iron Lynx team of Andrea Caldarelli in place of Edoardo Mortara. There is great anticipation for Valentino Rossi’s BMW M Team WRT, ready to take victory on their home circuit.
