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Imola, 14 April 2026 – The 2026 season of the FIA World Endurance Championship kicked off with the Prologue, staged today at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. The three Ferrari 499Ps were able to make the most of the eight hours of activity, split into two sessions, to familiarise themselves above all with the new Wet tyres, fitted during the opening hours due to the damp circuit in the morning session. In both sessions the Prancing Horse cars secured the top three positions among the 17 Hypercars entered in the top class of the world championship.
A decidedly productive day in terms of laps completed, with the two cars of the official Ferrari – AF Corse team completing 176 laps with the number 50 crew of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, and 186 laps with their teammates in the number 51, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi. The 499P entered by privateer team AF Corse, meanwhile, racked up 194 laps with official drivers of the Prancing Horse Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson taking turns at the wheel with Robert Kubica.
First session. The Prologue got underway at 9.00 a.m. with a still damp circuit, allowing all competing teams to test the new Michelin Wet tyres. Over the course of the three-and-a-half-hour morning session, the three Ferrari 499Ps occupied the top three positions, with the number 51 of reigning Drivers’ world champions Pier Guidi-Calado-Giovinazzi in first place thanks to a best time of 1’31”586, and a total of 89 laps completed. Second place went to number 83 of AF Corse with Ye-Hanson-Kubica, just 97 thousandths behind the leader and with 96 laps completed. Third place for the number 50 car of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen, 982 thousandths behind its sister car and with 82 laps completed.
Second session. In the second session, held from 2.00 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. – which began in dry circuit conditions before rain once again hit the Italian circuit, forcing teams to fit Wet tyres again – the Ferrari 499Ps once more occupied the top three positions in the standings. This time it was the number 50 of Ferrari – AF Corse that set the fastest time, stopping the clock at 1’31”177, ahead of the number 83 of AF Corse in 1’31”303, 126 thousandths behind. Third place went to the number 51 car, with a time of 1’31”375 and a gap of 198 thousandths. In terms of laps completed, the figures were very similar: 94 for number 50, 97 for number 51 and 98 for number 83.
The programme. Track activities at Imola resume on Friday, 17 April with two free practice sessions of 90 minutes each, scheduled at 10.15 a.m. and 3.15 p.m. On Saturday 18, the third free practice session, lasting one hour, will take place at 10.30 a.m., while the 12-minute qualifying sessions will get underway at 3.10 p.m. followed by the Hyperpole at 3.30 p.m. The race on Sunday, 19 April will see the green flag wave at 1.00 p.m. and the chequered flag at 7.00 p.m. (local times).