With home advantage, can Ferrari get back into the game at Imola?

After June 15 and 16, 2024, the dates of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the date of April 21 is undoubtedly the most anticipated by Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship. The Italian manufacturer will play at home, and that is far from being less since this year, the 6H of Imola, the second round of the WEC this season, will take place at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The Running Horse will race on its home turf, where the 499P made its first laps in front of the general public during the Mondiali Final, October 2022.

In Emilia-Romagna, a few kilometers from the factories of Maranello, Ferrari hopes to be able to launch its season after a false start in Qatar. If the “semi-private” Hypercar from AF Corse would have kept the respect for the Italian manufacturer with the 4th position, two official mounts would have suffered and never fought for the Losail podium (6th for No. 50, 12 for No. 51). In Imola, the Reds will try to reassure themselves, first of all, and return to the fight for victory.

“After a difficult and difficult test in Qatar, where we fought for distant positions, we want to catch up and get back to fighting for the Imola podium”, says Ferdinando Cannizzo, technical director of Ferrari Endurance. However, even on its circuit, the transalpine team knows that the challenge that awaits it is great, as the circuit is technical, unstable … and narrow. Instead of being better at managing traffic…

A slight advantage for Ferrari?

“We know that the layout and characteristics of the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, very demanding in terms of mechanics, suspension and braking in particular, will require special adjustments and that the definition of the strategy will certainly be difficult, especially due to the large number of overruns that will be far from obvious »explains the Italian engineer.

“So we focused a lot on the preparation for this race during the regular simulation sessions in Maranello, also benefiting from two tests on the track, in Portimão and Paul-Ricard, where the engineers, mechanics and drivers were able to train and test. and the best recommended settings and narrationhe adds. We are confident that we can have a good race, hoping that a sea of ​​red flags with the image of a galloping horse will wave at the end of the race down the stage. »

The Italian drivers will also be eager to shine in front of the fans who will undoubtedly come in large numbers to Imola. Last year, in Monza, Ferrari was able to get a good association with its fans by getting a podium at the Temple of Speed. One word to watch this weekend: repeat this performance… or better.

“We will not race in front of our fans in the middle of the summer, like last year in Monza, after the Le Mans victory, but in the second round of the season. I think there will be many people in the stands, and thinking of the fans, we will aim to give them the best results after of our difficult start in Qatar, hopes Alessandro Pier Guidi is one of the best circuits to drive, with fast corners and very slow corners with many cars on the track and heavy traffic, so qualifying well will be important »

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